Reap the Pain
by Demod20
Summary: With the World of NARUTO plunged into a state of dread and despair thanks to the Akatsuki, a new kind of hero descends unintentionally into it against his will. As conflicts and tensions rise within his path, will this hero be able to help restore balance and avenge the fallen, or will he become another victim of the Akatsuki?
1. A Grim Encounter

**Reap the Pain**

* * *

**Chapter 1 - A Grim Encounter**

* * *

Our story begins as thus.

Over the course of 3 years much has changed for the World of the Living as it had for the Soul Society. A singular woman named Rukia Kuchiki changed the fate of a single young man whom became the unintentional savior and hero of the Seireitei. Through arduous conflicts, blood, and tears being shed traitors were imprisoned and executed, as well as a nefarious organization out for vengeance.

That was a year ago, and he has since been carrying the title of Substitute Shinigami. A legend among the ranks of the Gotei 13 for his strength and his courage, his powers are vast and unprecedentedly higher than most could fathom. Along with his friends he has made Karakura Town, his home city, safe from the ever-encroaching threat of twisted human spirits known as Hollows.

Who is this man?

Ichigo Kurosaki; age of 18 with bright orange hair and hazel eyes, stature being six foot. A highschool student and Substitute Shinigami, along with working a part-time job at Unagiya Shop. He is the older brother of two middle school aged sisters, Yuzu and Karin, son of the late Masaki Kurosaki and Isshin Kurosaki.

Currently this alleged hero and everyday brazen man is donning his soul form, rushing through a dark abysmal highway known as the Dangai Precipice World. The walls made of decadent sludge that constantly sealed itself behind those who are rushing through its dank road with a very peculiar security system. This being the semi-sentient entity known as the Cleaner that disposes of unwanted entities skirting through its domain.

Unfortunately, this is where our hero finds himself in a bind.

"Shit-Shit-Shit-Shit-Shit!" Ichigo swore aloud, eyes comically enlarged to emphasize his terror. Rushing forward with all he had, desperate to not get absorbed and disassimilated by the living organic train. He dare not look over his shoulder, knowing if he did, he'd surely stumble and fall prey to the pyre of glowing dark sludge.

"Should be safe today, they say! Come on over, they say! I swear if I make it through this, I'm going to kick someone's ass for this!" Ichigo shouted with wild abandon, his arms pumping in sync with his rapidly sprinting legs.

Had he known a summons call from Rukia would end up getting him almost killed by the Cleaner AGAIN he would have just stayed home and slept in. After all, it was the weekend, and he valued his free time to do absolutely nothing. That is when his duties didn't call and/or kidnap him to fulfill them.

"I swear if I live through this, which I probably will, I will NEVER answer another request from her again!" Ichigo growled to himself.

Luckily, he managed to see light at the end of the tunnel, figuratively and literally. The telltale tall rectangular outline of the Senkaimon exit lied ahead. It seemed to send rivulets of light, rays dancing across the dark enclosing walls of the Dangai's eerie makeup, even overcasting the light of the ominously charging Cleaner.

"I'm going to make it!" Ichigo said aloud with determination, mingled with relief.

Through an additional push off the hardened sludge-like ground that he failed to notice a sudden split in the path before his feet. Split open almost like an eye, it happened so quickly that Ichigo failed to notice until his body began to plummet downwards. And just like that, the hole would close as the organic spiritual eating train would pass over, as if he had never come past the rift world at all.

With eyes widened with fright, his arms flailed helplessly as he was swallowed into darkness. One might think it would be luck to avoid the Cleaner's rampage, but on the other hand, he had fallen into an entirely new kind of peril. One of which he had no way of comprehending.

* * *

Lights streamed all around him, like speeding stars, to match the speed of his descent in passing through the veil of this unknown space. His body flourished downwards like a comet, shortly afterwards bursting through a thin barrier separating him from what he assumed to be the other side. That side holding a very open sky and a patch of ground he rapidly approached.

"AH SH-!" The Substitute Shinigami failed to complete his exclamation, let alone react, as he face planted into the ground. Enough force was placed into the impact that a sizable gust of wind exhaled outwards, emitting a shockwave that rattled the landscape around him. He wouldn't be able to hear it due to his head being firmly buried into the ground along with his shoulders.

A growl would be heard, muffling beneath the soil, shortly before his body forcefully bent back and wrenched him outwards. Coughing and ragged breathing from disorientation was all the orange-haired boy allowed his mouth to exude for long seconds. Shaking his head, he finally blinked away the spare dust in his eyes before standing up to his feet, taking in his surroundings.

Many block-shaped hubs were built over disheveled soil, made of simple plaster and clay, culminating into a large village. With where he landed, it appeared as if the entire ground was distended and dipped inwards from the outer perimeter of the village. In the distance he could see aged and cracked stone faces, carved into a mountainside.

"_What the Hell...is this?_" Ichigo thought to himself as he absorbed what was around him. "_this isn't the Soul Society, I can say that much. If anything it looks like somewhere far away back home. But that can't be right! Last time I checked I was_-"

"Hold it right there!"

"-near the Soul Society?" Ichigo finished aloud, distracted by the sudden shout. To his eyes, he saw a number of shadow-enraptured shapes appear within seconds of the declaration. Most of them were upon his immediate periphery, though his senses allowed him to feel out their locations.

"_15 signatures in total,_" Ichigo thought with eyes drifting to half mast, narrowing them specifically at a entity dropping in front of his vision, "_none of them are souls or Hollows. That means they can only be human!_"

The man approaching Ichigo dressed in a style similar to what Ichigo was familiar with, that being the Onmitsukidou Militia tasked under Captain Sui-Feng. Covered head-to-toe with a black dyed jumpsuit, forearms and shins were clasped in dark grey metal plating designed for protection while being pliant and easy to move within. A dark blue holster was affixed upon his upper left thigh while a hint of a beige hued pouch was held above his left rear flank. His hair had raven tresses jutting out in a fraying upwards manner, complimented by the dark red eyes pooling out from his mostly concealed visage.

Curiously enough, he also adorned a metal headband crossing over his onyx hued bangs, bearing the sign of a spiraling eye at its center. It appeared to be an insignia for an organization or a group he was affiliated with.

"_Whoever these guys are, I can feel intent to kill in their Spiritual Pressures,_" Ichigo concluded with an audible growl, having it escape a jaw-clenched set of bared teeth. "_I may need to knock some heads before getting answers on...wherever the Hell I'm at!_"

"This is a restricted area! Who are you and what are you doing here?!" The Leader of the shadowy figures inquired sharply, his red eyes glaring heatedly at Ichigo's hazel orbs.

Ichigo paused to consider a proper response. Hostility was already thick enough that he could cut it through with Zangetsu. However, he didn't really want to be the one responsible for starting the fight, should negotiations be applicable later. Clicking his tongue against his teeth, he couldn't help but hate this passive position of misunderstandings he's placed in.

"I'm Ichigo Kurosaki," The orange-haired teen declared, knowing they probably never heard of him to begin with, "a Substitute Shinigami."

"Substitute...Shinigami?!" The enforcer defacto's eyes widened several fold, both in perplexion and infuriation. "what the Hell is that?!"

"Yeah, I get that enough," Ichigo rolled his eyes, reaching up to place his hand into the fold of his kosode, "here, I think I got something that'll expla-"

"He's reaching for a weapon!" A voice shouted from his left.

"Stop him!" Another to his right.

The Lead enforcer's eyes narrowed, fishing for an exposed kunai at his hip, quickly tossing it towards Ichigo's location. All of the projectiles whizzed through the air, creating faint ruptures through the wind to cause whistling sounds to be emitted. It almost seemed like a circular wave of metallic death headed towards the intruder, aiming to penetrate his flesh and cause incapacitation, if not assured death.

None of them would reach their target.

Instead of palming the combat pass that he was reaching into his Shikhakushou for, Ichigo spun on his heels to turn into a complete circle. With his hand emitting a soft emerald glow, the air quickly shifted around his person, as if siphoning into a cyclonic vacuum. When he had spun a fifth time, the projectiles would have been blown back by a violent gust of wind, thrust out with a emphasized gesture of his extended arm, sending them all scattering away while rattling the humble built landscape around him.

"W-What was that?!" One of the figures inquired, lowering his arms down to his sides as he stared with disbelief. "Ninjutsu?!"

"I didn't see any weaving of hands, let alone see him move. What the the Hell is he?!" Another inquired with disoriented confusion.

"Everyone! To me!" The Lead Enforcer voiced aloud with a swing of his arms. Ichigo could tell he was doing his best to hide his fear behind a bead of sweat, trickling over his sharp brows.

With that said, over a dozen figures flew over the air with agile leaps from the structures and alleys they were hiding from. Upon landing behind their boss, Ichigo could tell from the synonymous choice of garbs they all adorned that they were all part of a bigger organization. Each of them ranging in size and shape, they all appeared hardened through training and capable on their own.

But from the way all of their spiritual pressures flickered upon the recesses of Ichigo's senses, he could tell that they were off balance. No one knew how to handle a situation like this, but were determined to handle him regardless.

"I'm not eager to fight any of you, so I'm giving you one chance," Ichigo announced in a level, assertive tone as he took a single step towards them. "give up! I just want some answers, that's all, and I'll walk away!"

"The only one getting information is us about you!" The Lead enforcer shouted back, throwing an arm to the side as he crouched down in preparation. Clasping his hands together, his digits intertwined and slid across his gloved palms, causing the energy within him to be fluctuate. Finishing with an upraised sign, the enforcer seemed to bend back a fraction as he declared loudly, "and we can do that after we've interrogated you!"

"**Katon, G****o****kaky****u**** no Jutsu****!**" The man roared out in sync with a geyser of flames spewing out of his covered mouth. In turn, these flames would form a sphere in shape, discharging outwards at a high speed towards Ichigo.

The black robed interloper simply stared impassively at the flames for a few seconds. Just bare inches before the rippling tongues of orange and yellow would touch the fabric of his Shikhakushou, his form bent at the knees before propelling upwards, leaving a discharge of dust particles from which where he had previously stood.

Ichigo appeared a dozen meters above where he had stood seconds ago, the fireball long since carving a scorching trench through the soil and exploding through several structures behind him.

"Up there!" One of the female assailants shouted, weaving her own hands in similar signs.

"Is he flying?!" One of the male comrades shouted with incredulous disbelief.

"Nevermind that!" The Lead enforcer shouted in command, weaving more handsigns in a follow-up to his last attack. "attack at will!"

In that instant, to Ichigo's eyes, it was a bombardment of streaks infused with elemental energy. Streams of flames flew upwards in his direction, along with a host of thrown projectiles, complimented by high velocity thrown rocks. If all the techniques weren't thrown in his direction, he would have taken in the sight with awe.

Kicking off the platform of spirit energy his sandal covered feet stood upon, Ichigo dove headfirst into the storm of attacks the enemies sent his way. Pushing his hands out in front of his face, trails of emerald energy once again ebbed off of his palms, flowing back across the air that bent around his speeding frame.

Just bare meters away from the wave of element and projectile force, Ichigo swung his palms outwards until they nearly tapped his hips. In doing so a shrieking severance occurred within the air, splitting the geysers and thrown pieces of the elements while sending the projectiles awry into the distance. The fissure of wind that was manipulated by Ichigo continued onwards until it collided into the ground, impacting it with explosive force that sent an audible shockwave to shatter the faces of many structures surrounding the dirt laid street.

In the midst of the chaos, seven of the fourteen figures in black were pummeled into the ground by the wave of high velocity thrusted wind. Apparent to those that managed to skirt and leap away from the incoming airwave, their comrades seemed to be rendered unconscious from the kinetic force wrought on their bodies.

Touching down in front of the gouged piece of earth, Ichigo's sandal-adorned feet tapped gently to the ground. He couldn't help but admire his handiwork, looking down at his hands, allowing his digits to open and clench experimentally.

"_That training in the last year to hone my Fullbring powers along with my Shinigami powers has certainly paid off. The last thing I want to do is kill these poor bastards with Zangetsu. I doubt they can take that kind of punishment, being humans and all,_" Ichigo concluded, returning his attention to the stunned and aghast enforcers surrounding him.

"Wind Release, again?!" One of the conscious female subordinates said on her knees. "how can someone just bat away all of our attacks so effortlessly?!"

"You don't suppose he's a Hidden Mist Swordsman?!" Another inquired rhetorically in a nervous tone, noting the sword he had yet to draw on them.

"All the way out here in that get-up? Impossible! He doesn't even look like a Shinobi," A third spoke out in a disregarding tone.

"Stop your babbling!" The Lead enforcer snarled out, earning Ichigo's left side glance in his direction. Standing to his feet, he began sprinting with his body held low, already fishing for another kunai from his leg holster. "forget Ninjutsu! Pressure him from all sides at close quarters!"

Moving upon the beckoning of their superior, the other figures leapt forward, all drawing various short instruments. Ranging from ninjato, kunai, and even a monstrous mace, the remaining eight enforcers rushing at Ichigo with their weapons drawn.

"Man you guys are persistent," Ichigo sighed to himself, impassively casting his glance at the charging enemies.

"DIIIIIIIIIIIIE!" The first of the enforcers reached Ichigo's front, swinging his behemoth mace to ram into his left arm and side like a bat. When it closed the distance, Ichigo's left fist swung in a pendulum motion, smashing it like glass into dozens of shards. Before the attacker could utter a response, let alone a follow-up to his failed strike, Ichigo moved forward in a blurring motion and rammed his fist into his gut.

With a pained gasp leaving his mouth, the enforcer would be launched off his feet and sent pinwheeling across the air, skidding across the ground like an airborne bowling ball.

In turn, to another charging enforcer, he spun on the heels of his feet to evade a thrust while palming her wrist. Pulling her forward, Ichigo rammed a hammerfist strike into her face, breaking her concealed nose and rendering her unconscious in a single painfully audible crunch. He would grasp the ninjato out of her hand before her body would unceremoniously slump to the ground with a groan.

Four others would circle around him, one leaping up in the air and the others coming at his opposing angles. With all of their weapons thrusting and swinging forward, they intended using a simultaneous synchronized attack to prevent a proper counterattack. In a blur of motion, they all struck at once, only to find that their weapons struck each other's and forced their bodies to impact clumsily into each other.

"Gah! Where did he-!" One of the female enforcers began to ask.

"-go?!" The male one inquired, having came from above and literally saw him evaporate into the air.

"Was that Swift Release?!" Another shook his head, having bashed the other in on accident.

"Did he vanish?!" The last shouted out with confused infuriation.

As the four tried to get their bearings, Ichigo's form had patiently materialized above them within the air. Having taken the ninjato, he brushed the flat of the blade with his left hand while swinging it out with his right. In a flash of lime hued light, the short edgeless blade transformed into a double-handed nodachi katana, complete with a bronze tsuba and crimson tassels.

"Above you!" Lead enforcer shouted, catching a glimpse of Ichigo's fullbrought blade manifesting above their heads.

They were all too slow.

With a downward two handed swipe, Ichigo's raw strength dispersed the air waves from which the blade past through. This caused a cerulean downward wave of air pressure to jettison on top of the stunned enforces, indenting them into the crater and rendering them as unconscious as their ground prone comrade. As the blistering winds exhaled the audible shockwave that further rattled the established base of operations, the Lead enforcer could only look on with shock and awe.

"H-How did he get that weapon?! Transformation Jutsu?! Was that Wind Release?! What's going on?!" He muttered to himself with staggering backwards step. With all of his fellow subordinates subdued in just under a couple minutes, he felt incredibly outclassed by this stranger.

Another blurring motion of hyperspeed was witnessed, as Ichigo materialized in front of the Lead enforcer, causing the latter to tense and raise his arms up defensively. A derisive snort was let loose by the Substitute Shinigami as he dryly looked at the man in an unimpressed manner. Dropping the fullbrought blade to the ground, Ichigo couldn't help but put his fists on his hips and tap his left foot expectantly at his enemy.

"You still think you can win this?" Ichigo inquired with a blank stare sent his way.

"I..." The Lead enforcer began to say, halting his speech when he realized what was at stake. If someone knew an enemy infiltrator, someone of his scale in power, had just trounced him and his comrades, he wouldn't survive the reprisal. With an audible gulp, the man took a courageous step forward, weaving his hands in trembling signs. "...cannot...allow you to escape here! I must stop-!"

"JUST SHUT UP!" Ichigo shouted with a kick let loose, the sole of his sandal slamming into the man's face with air popping force. Watching him comically spin backwards like a ragdoll, the Substitute Shinigami's brows twitched with irritation, emphasized further by his forehead pulsating a single vein of frustration. "I swear these guys are a bunch of hair trigger happy idiots! They're actually _worse_ than the Shinigami in the Gotei!"

* * *

It wouldn't be but a handful of minutes later that Ichigo noted that the Lead enforcer was rousing up from his sleep. When his burgundy shaded irises blinked away the disorientation, he swung his head back and forth noting that nothing but the horizon of their encampment. Oddly everything was from an inverted point of view and that he was seeing things from a far higher elevation than normal-

"W-W-WHAT THE HELL?!" The Lead enforcer shouted at the top of his lungs, finding himself hung by his ankles upside down by Ichigo. Arms flailing and finding none of his equipment stashed on his person, the man quickly gave way to panic at his given situation. He'd have rather had a quick death by his nemesis rather than be at his mercy in this situation!

"Good to see you got your energy back," Ichigo stated dryly, tightening his grip around the entity's ankles in order to quiet his struggles. With only the sound of gasps and heavy breathing to be heard by the Substitute Shinigami's ears, he would let out a snort of contentment before continuing. "listen, I'd hate to waste either of our times here and my hands are getting tired of holding your ass one hundred meters up in the air. So if you could tell me who you are, for starters, before telling me what you and your goons are, I'll be more than kind enough to lower myself a few meters closer to the ground. Finish my questions correctly, and you get back on solid earth. Don't finish them to my liking, and I'd like to see how you handle a high velocity drop to the dirt below. You game?"

"I-I-I understand! Just please don't drop me!" The captive man in Ichigo's grip nodded upwards, able to gain a downward angled glare to meet his near petrified stare. "I'll tell you what I know..."

"Then start," Ichigo said pointedly.

Gulping down what traces of fear and shame he had in himself, the enforcer first stated the interloper's first inquiry, "My name is Fuyuki, a Chunin Shinobi sworn fealty to Order of Pain. As Captain of the Shinbu Corps, the organization I am from, I lead a squad of scouts to keep this area of the land under our surveillance."

"Uhhhh," Ichigo drawled out dumbly, causing his captive to immediately halt, staring at Ichigo as if an utterance such as that would be odd. "sorry if I sound a bit stupid for asking but...what's a Shinobi?"

"Y-You're joking, right?" Fuyuki asked with perplexion, blinking for emphasis of his bafflement.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Ichigo asked in a stern tone, shaking his captive by the ankles, causing him to jiggle precariously under his grip. After the man begged him to stop, Ichigo halted and glared at the man in his grasp once more. "are you assassins or spies?"

"Shinobi are whatever the world wants us to be. At one point, we'd do even the most mundane tasks for the right price. But those days are over. I'm part of an organization sworn to an Order that helps preserve the Utopia of peace and prosperity reigning across these lands. To answer your question we are scouts, doubling as assassins in the event we find our targets we patrol for," Fuyuki responded in as cool of a tone as he could muster.

"Gotcha," Ichigo nodded. Raising his left brow, he further inquired, "what's your rank. Is that what you mean by Chunin?"

"Most of my squad is assembled of Chunin rank, with mine subverting theirs, since they have little experience in true combat. As you've seen, even my little experience was no match for your skills and power. Ranks among the Shinobi, from least skilled to most skilled, are Genin, Chunin, and Jounin. Those above us are not designated by a rank, but moreover by title. In large settlements of Shinobi, called Hidden Villages, the strongest are appointed as Kage. Anything on par with them, as demonstrated to the world, are within the organization I'm sworn to serve: **The Akatsuki**," Fuyuki finished ominously.

That one name. He knew that the definition of the name meant Dawn, but from the way he was informed by this mook, they were no one to be trifled with. He could practically feel the hairs on his skin raise up just hearing their name uttered so reverently by this man.

"Who're they?" Ichigo asked in a lower tone.

"They're the ones who overthrew the old order that oversaw the Five Great Nations, with all Five Hidden Villages being the strongest of all Shinobi cultures. They gathered the entities of pure chakra, the Tailed Beasts, and imprisoned them in a weapon of massive destruction. With it, he has forced the world to adhere to their laws and their will. One nation was annihilated in an instant for standing against them, the Land of Lightning. The other, before its regime took full affect, was destroyed by its leader and left most of them dead, now branded as enemies of the world: Konoha, the Hidden Leaf Village. What you see below is the results of it being demolished so utterly, three years ago," Fuyuki spoke plainly, trying not to hold too much pride in his words. With a downwards gesture of his limply hanging arms, Ichigo would be able to see just what he was talking about.

And everything clicked.

The place where he landed was the middle of a giant crater, having to be several kilometers in length and indented dozens of meters below the land's proximate wilderness. Smaller craters and ridges were displayed, showing signs of a battle happening afterwards amidst the large earthen indentation. Casting a glance towards the faces of which were emblazoned in a mountainside, Ichigo could tell that it was the sole remaining part of this settlement that existed before this massacre.

"_An entire settlement wiped out? A nation destroyed in the blink of an eye? What kind of sick bastards are these?!_" Ichigo thought with a hardened glare etched upon his brow line. His hands unconsciously gripped tightly around the man's ankles, causing Fuyuki to wince, though he dared not speak of his pain. He had no wish to fall to his imminent demise, nor wish to incur further anger upon this unknown anonymoly.

"Just one more question," Ichigo said in a low growl, something that made Fuyuki tense up with apprehension. "what is the name of their leader? The one responsible for all of this?"

"P-P-Pain," Fuyuki responded with a trembling quiver. "he is simply known as Pain. He is the god of this world, and the one who has established this era of peace. I know not another great than him."

"How can someone so great condone genocide and manslaughter of such a scale?" Ichigo asked rhetorically, glaring around at the earthen soil that laid empty and lifeless. The small hub of spartan buildings barely filled the center of the impact site, giving it the impression that this used to be a large hub of activity and life. The idea that it was all gone, and done in the name of peace made the Substitute Shinigami's blood boil. "I cannot forgive someone like that. Not for something like this!"

Fuyuki blinked up at the person he concluded now wishing for death. He could tell by the way he spared his squad and himself, the way he got riled up at what he had been vaguely informed that he was a righteous one at heart. The abnormality of his demeanor as well as his existence baffled the Chunin Shinobi to no end.

He'd have little time to reflect as he felt his head tap the familiar sensation of the ground below. With a unceremonious drop, he felt his feet fall forward, putting his body at ground prone position. Even as a sigh of relief distilled the dust below his mask, he could already hear the taps of Ichigo's sandal covered feet treading away from him.

Warily, he got on his hands and knees, inquiring loudly, "Where are you going?!"

"I may not be going anywhere for awhile," Ichigo said over his shoulder, placing a hand over his sword's hilt, "so I might as well do some reaping while I'm here!"

As Ichigo stated this, Fuyuki couldn't help but just stare in confusion at this boy. A being with incredible power, nothing he had ever seen in his life, was determined to change the state of this world? He couldn't say it to be impossible, given with what he'd seen could only be the tip of the proverbial iceberg of the young man's powers.

"_Ichigo Kurosaki, huh?_" Fuyuki thought with intrigue, rising to his feet to watch the black-robed man head away from the crater that was Konoha. "_I wonder just what consequences are going to be for the actions you've sowed into place today._"

Beyond both the Shinobi and the Substitute's perception lied another far beyond their comprehension. This one was imbued within the sockets of a gnarled beaked crow, casting a violet hue from its eyes. Spirals emitted from its miniscule proportioned pupil, locking onto the crater's interloper, the orange-haired young man. What the eyes imbedded within the animal's saw far more than any could understand, save for its owner. And what had just transpired was already made aware to the said originator of such eyes.

And said originator is already on its way to convene such a proper course of action.

* * *

**Location: Unknown**

Nine silhouettes were gathered. Each of them bathed in obscurity, detailing only their vague physical outlines and shapes. Emanating lights affixed from the rainbow, they appeared ghostly, as none of their bodies were truly near any of the others. Such was the work of the **Gentoshin Jutsu**; a technique designed to allocate the telepathic signals coming from various members of the Akatsuki and then transmitting them to a location of disclosing choice by the caster.

With all of them standing, sitting, or kneeling in various parts of the cave, their avatars occasionally flickered with distortion and emanated their spectrally illuminated bodies in a brilliant display of energy. As the ninth had arrived it only took a few seconds before a familiar voice called out with a grated chuckle.

"_Boy, this is nostalgic. How long has it been since we've all gathered in one spot?_" Kisame Hoshigaki inquired, his fish eyes blinking over the trim of his overcoat collar.

"_Fourteen months, give or take,_" The voice of a hooded and masked individual to his right, now known as Madara Uchiha, answered promptly, "_I believe it was due to that incident of the Land of Lightning's attempt to start a continental uprising against us. What an anti-climactic ending that crisis attained._"

"_Ah, right. Guess this is another pressing matter we should all be in the know about,_" Kisame nodded his head with understanding.

"_Whatever it is, make it quick,_" A smooth low tone emanated from another entity of the Akatsuki. This one belonging to a silhouette sitting nonchalantly on a boulder within the cave, the infamous child prodigy Sasuke Uchiha. Eyes that were drawn into half mast looked over towards his superior, his triple-tomoe Sharingan glistening through the indistinguishable shadowy mask laced over his visage. "_I have more pressing matters than simply being aware of another domestic issue._"

"_This is no trifling matter,_" A deep authoritative voice declared among those gathered, more pointedly towards Sasuke, belonging to that of Pain himself. His eyes projected a violet hued pair of spirals, seeming to pierce through the menacing crimson orbs of the Sharingan that Sasuke prided so much. As soon as his subordinate's gaze turned away from his, he returned his gaze to encompass the entirety of their meeting place. "_there has been a rupture in the fabric of our world. An unknown anomaly has appeared in the Land of Fire, having landed directly over the base camp of a Shinbu Corps squad. He defeated them all effortlessly, and without the work of any known Jutsu._"

A brief silence, coupled with subdued gasps and whispers, briefly washed over the shadowy figures. An enemy capable of tangling Shinbu Shinobi, most of which are a league above the average Hidden Village's operative. While a Scouting Squad was hardly made up of a taskforce of elites, the fact an entity who didn't possess Jutsu of any kind was able to subdue them all was nearly impossible to believe.

Then again, the Akatsuki were not normal Shinobi, and were more open to believe the improbable as possible.

"_Did he now?_" Madara voiced aloud in a quite amused tone, drawing his singular eyed gaze towards the impassive stare of their leader. "_that's quite the feat. Over a dozen capable bodied Shinobi and Kunoichi defeated effortlessly is no small feat, especially for someone possessing no attributes that of our ilk. Is he a samurai, or is it someone beyond the shores of our continent that we had missed?_"

"**_There hasn't been a Samurai other than the Mifune that could defeat Chunin-level Shinobi in that number, ever seen,_**" Zetsu, a two-faced entity, raised his own voice from his trap plant visage. While the prior voice was dark and level-monotone, the next voice to come out was light-hearted and nonchalant. "_if we have seen such an entity prior to this incident, we would know about him._"

"_This is no ordinary being that we are aware of,_" Pain continued, his Rinnegan eyes blinking once before drawing them to each silhouetted figure, "_his Chakra flows in a way what we would consider to be an inverse of what humans have in their bodies. That and it possesses an immense power supply, something of which I can only compare to that of a Jinchuriki or the Tailed Beasts themselves._"

"_Now that is interesting!_" Kisame said with an elated tone. "_it's been quite dull for these last couple of years. It'd be nice if Samehada and I got a workout, more than that Eight Tailed Jinchuriki gave us that is._"

"_Do you suppose he's even human at all? It seems unlikely a non-Shinobi could possess that level of power,_" Madara probed inquisitively.

"_He may have human form though he is far from what we'd consider a human,_" Pain answered readily. Turning his gaze pointedly to a pair of slender cloaked figures, he said authoritatively, "_for that reason I am tasking you two to handle this matter...Akimai and Shigure._"

The first of the called figures, Akimai, turned her shadowy visage in Pain's direction, "_You think that this entity is a demon who's entered from a rift of their world into our own?_"

"_It is a possibility I'm not willing to ignore. What with the near awakening of Moryo that transpired a year ago when we had recruited you, I am not discounting the possibility of him being a spirit from the netherworld,_" Pain explained, blinking his violet ringed irises as he continued. "_your experience with spirits and beings from the beyond is among the highest of the Akatsuki. Coupled with Shigure's experience in working cohesively with your talents, I'm sure you will be able to assess and possibly eliminate this threat._"

"_Sounds easy enough,_" Shigure, a shorter Kunoichi said in a nonchalant manner. Strangely enough, a bubble seem to expand from her shadow endowed visage, popping a few seconds afterwards. "_leave it to us, boss._"

"_Where do you suggest we look for him?_" Akimai asked levelly.

"_I currently have a Summon tailing him as we speak,_" Pain answered stoically, "_he's heading Northwest, towards the Nara Clan Forest. I do not know his objective but it is quite possible he may encounter the Konoha resistance. Try and make sure that if alliance is possible between them, make sure it doesn't happen._"

"_Please,_" Sasuke's voice interrupted, his voice filled with lethal intent as he cast a glance towards Akimai, "_do not get in my way. My quarry is with those still living of Konoha. If you get in between me and them, even on this mission, I won't hesitate to go through you to get to them._"

"_I doubt that you could, little Uchiha,_" Akimai responded coldly, her own gaze locking onto his from the distance within the cave. "_likewise, if you get in between me and my objective, you will not leave unscathed._"

"_Now-Now,_" Madara's voice chided, his masked visage moving its gaze from one to the other, "_no need to be so hostile. Try to understand if we try to destroy ourselves, __what is to keep this world's current state of peace from unraveling?_"

"_Tch,_" Sasuke dismissed, turning his gaze away with a sharp bow to the left. "_are we done here?_"

"_This meeting is concluded,_" Pain said with a nod, turning his gaze to encapture all the present Akatsuki members. "_I'll keep you all appraised of the situation involving this apparition who's entered our world. Be ready to be called upon to deal with it, if he manages to evade Akimai and Shigure._"

Soon, the rainbow silhouettes began to flicker out of form and substance. One by one they all disappeared, leaving the cave as empty as it was prior to their use of it. With Akatsuki on the move and a new kind of threat moving through their dominated world, what will become of the Shinobi lands?

* * *

**A/N:** And done! Wow, I'm quite impressed with how much substance I managed to place into this Opening Chapter. I hope the quality is on par with my other works I normally do, so please let me know if there is room for improvement or not ^^

So, first off, this is a Crossover Story (obviously, lol). I'm not usually one to read them myself or write them (my little bout of FF7/BLEACH didn't last too long) but this was a unique idea I had when talking with a friend. While this is going to be more or less a side project of mine, I shall be updating it at a infrequent pace, also depending upon the views and positive feedback I get on this story.

Secondly, this is a form of Ichigo I've taken some liberties in changing up, in terms of versatile abilities. While we never got established confirmation from Tite Kubo if Ichigo lost the ability to use Fullbring after he got it fused with his Shinigami powers, I am assuming he at least had some basic control over it in order to enhance his powers in the way he did prior to getting them changed (AGAIN! -.-). So for the sake of settling confusion, Ichigo's powers are all fused into a singular core type. Thanks to Fullbring, his Hollow Powers and Shinigami Powers are all one in the same. With additional training over a year since the end of the Fullbring Arc (one year after the end of the Anime, if you want to go by that train of logic), he's gained some skill involving Fullbring, using his martial arts (yeah, he has that. Remember that, Kubo?) and bettering his overall skill set so it isn't just a one track mind (as much as I love GT, I don't like power spamming, so this is what I'm coming up with. ^^)

Lastly, you're probably wondering WTF is up with the world of NARUTO I have constructed. I will be answering that more into detail in the next chapter, trust me, but I will disclose a little bit here. Naruto IS dead, and so are the five Kage. Land of Lightning, as is the Hidden Cloud Village, is annihilated and Konoha is all but a shell of its former self. I may give more descriptive details in the coming parts of the story (if I do, it will be in typical flashback fashion =w=) but don't expect to get the WHOLE story in one sitting.

Involving the Akatsuki ranking, I shall disclose all that has been revealed in this Chapter (in case you missed it): Pain, Konan, Madara, Kisame, Sasuke, Zetsu, Akimai, Shigure, ?

Okay, I think I've covered everything O-O

Please leave comments below detailing your thoughts about the story's start and what you'd like to see from it. Please try to leave argumentative topics and rants out of the Review section as I'd like more of a mature tone for these Reviews, rather than it become debased. So please again be mindful of what you say and what your commenting :)

Until then, I'll see you all in the next, Reap the Pain Chapter!

Extra Treats!: I got some translations listed below of the following techniques used in this chapter. Hope you enjoy seeing them for what they mean, especially those who don't use google to find all your answers XD

**Katon, G****o****kaky****u**** no Jutsu: **Fire Release, Great Fireball Jutsu


	2. A Tale of Scars

**Reap the Pain**

* * *

**Chapter 2 - A Tale of Scars**

* * *

"_Squads 2 and 3, report!_"

"_Squad 3 ready to rock and roll!_"

"_Squad 2 here!_"

"_Alright. We know there is an Elite Shinbu taskforce scouring the forest for trails of our comrades to our base of operations. Once they come across the black meadow, we have squad 3 strike, sending them into disarray and have them focus on their forces. This will leave Squad 1 and 2 to pincer them from opposite ends to eliminate them swiftly and hopefully dwindle their remaining numbers enough to finish them off with ease. Understood?_"

"_Yes, Captain Neji!_"

"_I wasn't asking you, Lee..._"

"_Oh, sorry, Neji!_"

"_I got it boss, no sweat._"

"_Try not to do anything rash, Konohamaru. We don't need anymore failed maneuvers due to your antics._"

"_Don't worry, I promise I'll follow the plan-_"

"_I can see you crossing your fingers behind your back._"

"_Dammit!_"

Neji's cousin had dipped into a reverie during the chatter of her childhood friends. Her eyes looked around at the once colorful woods they crouched down within, seeing nothing but grey-black bark and little to no leaves covering endless acres of the beautiful Nara Clan territory. Even the earth, what wasn't scorched and pelted, showed the strain of the environment's shift due to endless conflicts and skirmishes held within the ancient forest.

"_Hinata!_" Neji's voice sternly called over the radio again, breaking her daze and bringing her back to reality.

"Yes, I'm here," Hinata spoke back into her receiver, her crouched form bordered by Kiba and Shino, the former on her left and the latter on her right.

"_Use Byakugan and keep an eye out for change in maneuvers of the enemy. I'll collaborate with my own,_" Neji ordered.

"Right," Hinata nodded with confirmation. A single twitch across her brow lines and veins began to protrude across the proximity of her eye sockets. Pupiless lavender eyes formed a single white ring around at its centers. In a ripple of chakra dispersal from her body, the notoriously powerful Dojutsu activated, allowing her eyes to see the world in an array of dim blue and black.

What caught her eyes, and likely Neji's, were a handful of distant blue shapes moving across the treeline. They maneuvered quietly and cautiously, distancing themselves with a good dozen meters or so from each other, maximizing the capability of defending from multiple angles. There were five in total, and each of them retained a sizable store of Chakra dictated by the perfect control and brightness of their auras.

"Five in total, and it doesn't seem like there are any clones set up. It seems they haven't noticed Squad 3's advancement either_,_" Hinata informed the rest.

"This shouldn't be too difficult," Kiba said with a low whisper, his canine-like nostrils sniffing the air to double-check anything out of the ordinary, "they don't seem to be packing anything of the unordinary. Just five of them, probably Jounin if they're so close to our base."

"If all goes according to plan we should take them unawares," Shino asserted with his level low tone. "of course that is if Konohamaru doesn't try and do anything stupid in this mission."

"Like that's not going to happen!" Kiba growled in a harsh whisper, "I swear, if he does something stupid again, I'm kicking his ass for it!"

"He has a lot of spirit and courage though," Hinata faintly whispered, catching both Kiba and Shino's shocked gazes, "just like Naruto..."

It was then that the duo of Hinata's squadmates fell silent. Any hint of playful banter had been dimmed just as a candle would be put out with a breath of air. Just recalling the young man who fought hard for everyone's recognition made everyone's eyes dip to look at the ravaged earth beneath their palms and knees.

Then, something caught both Hyuga's attention, breaking the female cousin out of her depressed reverie immediately.

"_What is that...that Chakra?!_" Neji spoke over the radio. "_it's so wild and massive...yet its not something I've ever seen before!_"

"And it's heading right towards the Shinbu Squad!" Hinata said aloud with sudden realization. "is he an ally of theirs?!"

"_I don't know. Squad 3, hold back your advancement immediately!_" Neji called out over the channel. "_we have an unknown heading towards the Shinbu Squad! Hold back and wait for further orders now!_"

* * *

**Determined. **

That was the word that personified the Substitute Shinigami's mindset. His demeanor changed in less than an hour, thanks to the rough greetings the Shinobi gave him upon arrival. What he thought would be a pain in his backside was now the number one goal, till he would find a way back to his home.

With his brows knitted into a iron glare he only took a handful of minutes to choose a direction to head away from his impact site.

The soles of his sandal-covered feet coasted across the ground, spraying out streams of emerald energy in a fullbrought frictionless road. His body was nothing but a lime-hued blur to the casual observer, tearing across the air like a missile, emitting a roar within the movement he carried himself forward.

Upon entering a foreboding, decayed forest Ichigo finally sensed the signatures that had been lurking within the peripherals of his senses. Five of them, close in proximity to each other, while handfuls farther out away from them. Skirting around the various trees, hills and dips within the landscape, Ichigo quickly came up with a way to distinguish friend from foe.

Immediately after, he was met with immediate resistance.

"**Doton, Dory****u****hek****i!**" A voice called out ahead of him, just moments before the earth itself raised up in Ichigo's path. It possessed rows of earthen spikes, each of them as long and wide as Ichigo was tall. Bending his knees, as he was moving too fast to simply halt his momentum, he reared back his left hand to his side while holding up his right hand in a diagonal shielding line over his face.

"HA!" Ichigo shouted aloud as he unleashed a punch in sync with his charge, the foremost spike seemed to disintegrate into dust just shortly before his knuckles met the Earth Release Jutsu, shattering in an instant. The force of the high velocity punch alone was enough to create a rupture of air pressure, shattering several tall trees barks and ripping them off their roots.

Coming to a halt, he barely paid heed to the flying trees tumbling in the air, crashing through its wooden brethren with mighty thunderous bludgeonings. He was too busy seeing an array of hydrogen jetstreams, infused with Chakra, cutting swathes through the earth as they glided swiftly towards his position.

"_Suiton, Takirimi Kuchi no Jutsu!_" The apparent Shinobi half a dozen meters to Ichigo's one'o'clock, declared inwardly. With his hands cupped over his mouth like a guiding tube, the arcing water spouts danced closer to Ichigo. Unfortunately for the masked assassin, the geysers might as well have been moving in slow motion.

In an instant, Ichigo employed Shunpo, causing his body to rapidly disappear from view, just as the slicing ribbons of pressurized hydrogen dug into the earth where he had stood.

"Where did he-?!" The Shinobi began to question aloud, promptly interrupted by a firm hand grappling his right shoulder. Turning his face over his left shoulder, sporting an aghast wide-eyed stare at the leaning visage of Ichigo.

"Say," He said lowly, pointedly narrowing his eyes at the spiral-eyed headband the Shinobi sported, "you don't happen to be part of the Order of Pain, would ya?"

The Jounin glared in response, instantly dispelling the surprise and fear that had overwhelmed him. Swiveling his right hand to reach over his left shoulder, the assassin swung himself up and around in a diagonal arc down at Ichigo's exposed neck. Liquid, refracting a tinge of light as it swiftly formed around the pores of his digits and palm, formed into a short blade in order to decapitate the Substitute Shinigami.

Mere moments before the Jutsu -**Ikiken**- would connect, the Shinobi would find himself hurtled around in a cyclonic spin along with his Shinigami adversary. Upon the fourth revolution, Ichigo had taken a heavy step down onto the ground, smashing the Shinobi into the earth with a mighty thrust. Such power was placed into the attack that the ground shattered and uproared for a dozen meters around him, further knocking and distilling foliage in his vicinity.

With blood spewing out with saliva and eyes rolling to the back of his head, Ichigo could feel the sudden decline in spiritual pressure, signifying his authentic unconscious state. Rising up from the his crouched stance, he could feel the Shinobi's synchronized actions waver. He deduced upon witnessing the effective takedown of their comrade, they were most likely conversing with each other for a plan of executive action.

"Not going to attack?" Ichigo called out in a dry, bored tone. Turning on his left heel, he began to walk towards a cropping of collapsed trees, the workings of emerald Fullbring energy began to trail from his fingertips. Halting a few meters of walking later, Ichigo reared his right hand upward before yelling aloud. "then allow me!"

Slamming his left, energy infused fist into the ground caused a wave of distortive lime-hued light to flow around him. The omnidirectional pull of his Fullbring created what appeared to be geysers of discharging earth, appearing at four positions around his crouched body. What came flying out haplessly were four appearing Shinobi bodies, each of them crying out with panic and surprise.

"Hiding under the ground like maggots? What a bunch of cowards!" Ichigo snarled upwards with a wry grin of accomplishment. With a successive pulse of emerald light beneath his heels, the Substitute Shinigami took flight upwards, creating a dispersal of thunderclapping air in his wake.

To the airborne Shinobis credit, they managed to find enough composure to launch a counteroffensive, even a hundred meters off the ground.

The first reared around to his comrade's left, grappling his forearm as the other did likewise. Spinning around in the air, the secondary Shinobi hurtled the prior with enough force to have him considered to be a missile. Weaving handsigns, the latter Shinobi reared back his head as his lungs filled up with air, throwing it down to violently spew a large current of air in his direction.

As the descending Shinobi was powered by the blast of chakra-infused gale winds, he only formed one handsign. A right handed palm over an enclosed fist. In an instant of cobalt-hued chakra flowing off his skin and attire, earth began to culminate around his exterior, halting when he resembled something akin to earthen armor.

With both enlarged fists stretched out downwards at Ichigo's rapidly rising frame, the combination Jutsu would be declared aloud by both airborne Shinobi, "**Konbijutsu, Saikuron Oishi Kako!**"

The downward spiraling locked stone fists would be met by a lime-hued, palm-heel thrust. The prior acceleration of Ichigo's vertical takeoff allowed him to harness a virulent amount of air pressure around his body, thus coalescing it into a singular point of which it would collide with the downward gargantuan digits. When it merely tapped, it shattered it into grey-hued fragments, spearing up along the shattering arm-laced armour.

"Im-MMNGH?!" Before the Shinobi could even utter his dumbfounded statement he would find iron-clad fingers wrapped forcefully around his face. With a continuous incline, Ichigo would lurch the body of his captive along with him, ramming the bulky body into the more lithe comrade of his with a audibly crackling impact.

Grasping both of their collars, Ichigo spiraled around in a dizzying twister motion, spinning the unconscious frames of the Shinobi. In sync, he moved like a spinning top towards the downward gliding Shinbu operatives, causing them great visible concern.

"**Katon, Gokya-!**" The nearest agent began to chant out in mid hand weaving, interrupted by a bodily slam by the Earth Style Shinobi's unconscious frame. The force was great enough that his own eyes rolled to the back of it sockets, knocking him into darkness. His comrade would soon follow as a second flailing body would be knocked straight into his undefended frame.

With all four bodies limply descending downwards, Ichigo watched them all with a dry stare of unamusement. His eyes trailed their declining forms over the course of long seconds, seeing them draw closer and closer to the ground below. When they appeared over what looked like a meadow, Ichigo's form lurched forward, disappearing in a shimmering display of high-speed movement.

Just a mere dozen meters above the ground the bodies would all be caught and piled over the shoulders of the materializing Substitute Shinigami. With a dispersal of wind from the softened landing his sandal-bound feet made upon the brown grass covered field, Ichigo unceremoniously released hold of the Shinobi to land with audible thuds upon the ground to his left and right.

"And that was five," The orange haired man said with a nod. Exhaling with a measure of relief, Ichigo took in his surroundings with his senses once more. Eyes moving right to left, with his head moving in likewise directions, he could feel the general directions and number of signatures around him. "_whoever the rest of these guys are, it seems they aren't allied with these clowns. Otherwise they'd have jumped in to help earlier._"

Feeling a trio of signatures emerge from hiding, a handful of shriveled up bushes, they seemed to halt in a skidding stop when his eyes were directed at them.  
The one to the farthest left of the head seemed to be a young man, donning a black high-collar jacket and matching dark grey black leggings with black sandals. His body was affixed with a standard satchel and holster, with the most significant physical traits being his short parted dark brown hair and thick rimmed glasses. The only other noticeable equipment he had on him was a large dark green and black scroll slung over his left hip and right shoulder by a dark brown bandoleer, being nearly as large as he was tall.  
The one to the closer right of the group, being only a single pace behind the lead, was a young girl. Orange pigtails up and over her shoulders, ending upon the middle of her back, highlighting her fair complexioned skin with a pair of faint blushes sported around her cheeks and dark brown eyes. She donned what appeared to be a sleeveless grey flak jacket, outfitted with a number of torso aligned pockets, exposing her lithe arms only to be wrapped in burgundy arm warmers that ended just over her knuckles. A thinly woven armored kama skirt was wrapped around her waistline, vaguely concealing a pair of scarred knees and thighs, with only dark stockings leading down to a pair of high heel sandals.  
The one standing a good two strides ahead of the other two caught Ichigo's attention. He possessed a head full of brown spiky tresses, a strong yet brash visage with a single jagged scar dragged across his left cheek up to the bridge of his nose. A cobalt-hued scarf wrapped snugly over his neck and draped over his back, consisting of a simple high collar pea-green top and a short pair of orange-black cargo shorts with matching black Sandals. His equipment consisted of a X shaped set of bandoleers holding various scrolls and intricately designed tools. Unlike the others he possessed a pair of kunai holsters and what appeared to be a square shaped box holstered on his rear waistline.

While the trio all appeared to retain individual characteristics and cautious gazes at him, the one thing that made Ichigo relax was the insignia on their forehead wrapped headbands. The sign of a hand carved leaf. It was something he thought would be more of a friendlier view than the spiral eye he was used to seeing.

"Were you guys about to ambush these jackasses here?" Ichigo asked nonchalantly, propping his left fist on his hip while waving his other at the pile of unconscious bodies by his feet.

"Uhhhhh," The glasses wearing boy just blinked dumbfoundedly, unsure what he should say to the total stranger.

"What's it to ya, dumbass?!" The lead Shinobi boy shouted incredulously, raising a fist up and contorting his visage into an expression that was anything but pleasant.

"Little snot-!" Ichigo's brow began to twitch, an immediate throbbing vein protruded over his own forehead. "is that any way to treat someone you don't know, let alone who's on your side?!"

"I don't care and this isn't your home! Why don't you get lost and-MMMMLLLPRGH!" The boy's ranting was silenced immediately. A pair of pink-nailed hands wrapped over his mouth, forcing the back of his head to rest over a feminine shoulder with a vice-like grip.

"I'm so sorry! My teammate can be quite the jerk sometimes," The girl said with a sheepish chuckle, smiling politely even as her grappled comrade thrashed and his eyes bulged comically with protest. Leveling her gaze with Ichigo's perplexed stare, she cleared her throat, making a half-hearted bow while keeping a hold over the abrasive friend of hers. "my name is Moegi. The lummox I'm manhandling is Konohamaru, and the guy with shaky legs over there is Udon."

"Ichigo," Nodded the Shinigami, crossing his arms over his chest with signified relaxation. Arching his head to the left and right pointedly, Ichigo inquired thus. "so, you and the others around here the friendlier Shinobi?"

"Others?" Moegi blinked as she queried back, more out of surprise than feigned ignorance.

"You can tell them to come out if they don't wanna cause trouble," Ichigo said with a calm, reassuring tone. "I'm not from around here, if you haven't guessed, and I'd like some answers as to what's been going on in this world I've entered."

After a few moments later of mulling over Ichigo's words, Moegi lowered her gaze and released her hold over Konohamaru's mouth. With the boy slumping to his knees, wheezing and coughing from the lack of air, it left her free to tap the radio transceiver in her ear to speak. "Neji, its Mogei. The stranger, Ichigo, wants to talk. He's kind of clueless..."

"_I understand_," Neji's voice came over the channel. After what seemed like an eternity Neji's voice would give a precise answer. "_very well. Everyone regroup at the meadow with Team 3. It's time we have a chat to our benefactor._"

* * *

**Later that night...**

Upon assembling around Ichigo, the Substitute Shinigami got to be introduced to them formally. Each of them were young, possibly around his own age, and each of them carrying the burden of conflict heavily in their body language. While each held an astoundment for what they witnessed and meeting someone like Ichigo, a lingering air of cautiousness still clung to their every action.

"_What kind of horrors have they endured to act like this?_" Ichigo thought to himself, now sitting amidst a campfire kilometers away from where he had encountered them.

According to what he had been told, they had been launching precarious and well-timed counter strikes against a Corps of infiltration and assassination Shinobi known as the Shinbu Corps. Their servitude belonging to that of an organization known simply as _the Order of Pain_, a branch of allegiance to the Overseer of the world known as the Akatsuki.

They spent the better part of the last seven hours simply covering their tracks and hauling the now captured Shinbu Shinobi with them. Ichigo figured they would be interrogated by these Konoha Shinobi, as he had learned their affiliation in a prior brief talk. They seemed hesitant in revealing anything sensitive, as if there were eyes and ears that not even they or he could detect.

Now huddled around a dim campfire in a distended pit they had carved to be kept out of sight, Ichigo was kept company by three of them while the rest slept or kept watch. They were Hinata, Neji, and Moegi, the latter replacing the rather bombastic spirited Konohamaru in caution of starting an incident with the newcomer.

After what seemed like an eternity, Neji finally spoke up in a level matter-of-fact tone, "So, it seems you wish to know the history behind this little world of ours."

"That sums up most of it, sure," Ichigo said quietly back, his eyes drawn up to stare into the pupiless lavender orbs that refracted the fire's dancing tongues. The cracks of burning wood complimented by shimmering sparks was all the ambience that was needed to start the foreboding tale. A tale he knew was not one of easy re-telling.

"I won't bore you with too much history, but I will say what things were like in a summarized form before it became what you see around you. There are five great lands: The Land of Fire, the Land of Lightning, The Land of Wind, The Land of Earth, and The Land of Water. Each of these nations make the general borders of this continent, and most of the smaller nations pale in comparison on both an economic and military might. We had five Hidden Villages, the settlements and headquarters of the Shinobi in these nations. They were known as: Konohagakure, Kumogakure, Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure. They were the strongest and proudest Hidden Villages in the world.

"But, not everything was made to last..." Neji trailed off, looking into the fire directly as his memories were rekindled.

"Pain," Ichigo said pointedly, the word coming out like venom and fire. Even as the Hyuga would spare a glance at Ichigo's eyes, he could tell that his fury was a righteous one, filled with indignation and confusion. "he's the one who did all this, right?"

"Yes," Neji sighed, briefly looking over at Hinata, sitting but a handful of feet away. A forlorn, distant expression settled over her eyes as she stared into the fire. Her mouth held partly open, breaths inhaled came out in shaky exhales. To her, it was almost like it happened yesterday, what had changed their entire world.

"What happened?" Ichigo questioned, his glance growing more concerned as he saw Hinata's daze and a gloomy one overtake even the proximate Moegi.

"Our Village was destroyed by him," Moegi choked out, tears welling up in her eyes, desperate to try and curb her sobs. "our friends, families, neighbours. All of them got hurt or killed. Worst of all...N-Naruto...he was taken from us as well, even though he was protecting us all!"

"Naruto?" Ichigo voiced aloud, noticing Hinata's lips quiver in visual remembrance. A hint of tears beginning to trail down her face, already emphasizing the painful truth.

"Two years ago," Neji began, his gaze reasserting itself with Ichigo's, "Pain had fought and nearly destroyed the entirety of our Village. Hundreds dead and many more wounded. I wasn't there until near the end of it, but from the way people said it, he was like a savior coming to the rescue. And yet...something happened to change the outcome of that battle..."

* * *

**Two Years ago, Konohagakure borders**

Weariness. For the first time, the Deva Path body felt a lack of strength. Due to the host body being so stressed from the battle with the Nine Tails, it came at a great surprise that he had been pushed so far. Even now, at the last legs of his opponent, he found himself hunching down in a crouch in the most protective stance he could muster.

"_Any second now and I should be able to use Shinra Tensei again...!_" Tendo Pain thought with certainty.

"And I'm telling you..!" A young voice shouted in insistance, catching Tendo's attention. Looking up, his ringed eyes widened with alarm at the sight of Naruto's coalescing chakra sphere. Not only that, but one of the Shadow Clones was already pulling him back, hurtling him up into the air to arc down towards his crouching frame. "...to give up...!"

"_Shinra Tensei isn't going to make it...!_" Tendo Pain realized, feeling time crawl down as Naruto's body came closer and closer. His entire body became illuminated by the incoming Rasengan, the thrum in the air was as passively noted as the smell of burning ozone it emitted. He had almost no alternative course of action, but rely on another Jutsu entirely.

"**Bansh****o**** Ten'in****!**" The Deva Path called out, sending out his field of control to wrap firmly around Naruto instead of repulsion.

"...making me-GAK!" Naruto was cut off in mid rant, finding his body suddenly hurtled off course, his Rasengan thrown over the shoulder of his enemy rather than ramming it straight into the torso. A familiar palm rammed straight into his throat, knocking the breath out of him and yanking him out of his high velocity leap and attractive pull. Before he could have time to react, a painful crack was all his eardrums registered as his skull smashed heavily into the ground along with his whole body.

His fingers twitched and his arms spasmed. His eyes looked up in a daze as darkness began to cover his vision. Locking briefly onto Pain's Rinnegan, the cerulean eyes began to roll up behind closing lids, his body slumping into unconsciousness. A final wheeze later and Naruto was finally subdued.

"Finally," Tendo Pain said in a deep, satisfied voice. Picking up Naruto by the neck he had violently grappled, the boy was raised up as if admired by the leader of the Akatsuki. In some twisted sense he was now little more than a trophy for Pain had attained in this vicious battle he fought. "the last Jinchuriki has been obtained. With your power added to the rest of the Tailed Beasts, my dream of a world with justice and peace will finally be realized. Whether you like it or not, it will happen thanks to you, Naruto Uzumaki."

* * *

"It wasn't too long after that we heard from Lady Katsuya herself that Naruto had failed to defeat Pain. Due to the distance he traveled away with Pain during their battle, it was impossible to catch up to them before they had taken him away and covered their tracks. To make matters worse, due to the Hokage's comatose state, a new one was chosen effective immediately; namely, Danzo Shimura, a longtime shady character of our Village.

"In the week that followed a number of critical events transpired for us. One of our own, Sasuke Uchiha, who went renegade years ago had finally been labeled a Missing Nin, a Shinobi deemed an enemy and should be hunted down. This devastated some of us more specifically, due to the fact it was Naruto's wish that he be brought back and that one of our comrades was especially close to him despite his absence and past actions.

"The other action was that a Kage Summit, called upon by the Raikage for the disappearance of his own brother, a Jinchuriki himself for being kidnapped by the Akatsuki. From what we had gathered, Sasuke had adopted the mantle of the Akatsuki himself and was fully responsible for kidnapping him. When Danzo left, none of us really heard what happened except in heresay, but we do know that the Meeting changed the world as we knew it..."

* * *

**Pain. **

That was all that Sasuke could feel at the moment. Unbearable agony as he forced himself to endure the strain of using so much Chakra to empower his Mangekyou Sharingan, subsequently, the Susano'o as well. Having used it to turn the tide in his battle against the Kage, an effort keeping him from finding Danzo himself, he had now started to feel exhaustion creeping in on his frame.

He had narrowly escaped the death trap formed by the Mizukage, thanks to White Zetsu's interference and transference of Chakra. Smashing his way out of the enclosed area, he coughed and wheezed, barely able to make his way into the room where mostly incapacitated Shinobi were.

Stumbling into the room, he vaguely heard Karin's voice. But what held his attention was the immediate arrival of a floating Kage. The Tsuchikage himself, Onoki, floated down towards him with a hardened stare. With a hand over his bleeding, overused right eye, he could only glare spitefully at the elderly Kage staring back at him.

"You're a talented Shinobi, I'll give you credit where its due. I can see how you were able to kill Deidara," The Tsuchikage spoke sincerely, if not in a begrudging tone. A dizzying dance of digits and sliding palms, however, announced his true intention to Sasuke in an instant. "however, I'm afraid too many people want you dead. I cannot allow you to live."

Stepping back, a sudden throbbing rattled his skull. Movement was unsteady and vision was getting blurred. Even as his feet forced himself to leap up to a backwards dash, he could already see the outlines of a silver-hued cube entrap him.

"Dammit...!" Sasuke swore to himself, the light threatening to engulf him in its lethal embrace.

"**Jinton, Genkai Hakuri!**" The Tsuchikage crowed out, just as the cube's inner confines shined an instantaneous light. Occurring just after, everything within was turned into a fine layer of dust, sprinkling down to the floor in a peaceful if not morbid display of power.

"S-Sasuke?" Karin stretched out her hand to grasp at the empty space, as if to bring Sasuke back into being.

"It is too late, girl. He's been annihilated on a molecular level," Onoki said with a satisfied tone, turning his face to sneer down in her direction, "and soon you will be next!"

Before anymore threats of annihilation could be carried out, the pitter patter of running feet could be heard. Rushing head first into the room, the Raikage, followed by his faithful bodyguards and the others behind him. Looking back and forth across the room, the nearly rabid Ay snarled as he shouted aloud, "Where is he?! Where is Sasuke?!"

While the other Shinobi piled in, setting about to clean up the mess and chaos that had ensued within the battle worn summit room, the Tsuchikage smirked. Projecting a smug tone, Onoki said with a chuckle, "I atomized that brat to into oblivion!"

"WHAT?!" Ay shouted aloud in an enraged tone. Eyes bulged with veins sprouting along his neck and forehead, further emphasizing his overflowing well of anger. One would even venture should he grow any more furious, he could quite literally explode. "you had no right in doing that! It was my fight and my kill to take, you insufferable-!"

"_Calm down, Raikage,_" An ominous, deep voice echoed the confines of the summit room. All eyes moved in various directions, trying to gauge where it came from. What sounded like bubbling within the air itself caught everyone's attention, foremostly the Raikage. "_I have Sasuke right where you all can see him. Safe and sound, of course._"

Throughout the audible atmospheric warping, one could see an orange mask form from a spiral located within the center of a right-eyed hole. When his body fully formed, short spiky black hair stood up over the top of his crown, matching the red-cloud and black high collar coat enrapturing his frame.

"Sasuke!" Karin gasped aloud with relief, seeing the unconscious frame of the weary and injured Uchiha boy draped over the masked man's right shoulder.

"Now that I have your undivided attention, I shall begin with introductions," The Akatsuki Shinobi continued, staring at them evenly with a faintly glowing red eye behind the eyehole of his mask. "my name is Madara Uchiha. I am part of an organization you are all aware and quite familiar with. Its name is the Akatsuki, and its actions have changed this world more recently than you all know."

"We all can gather who your allegiance is with, _Madara_," Onoki spoke sarcastically, the disbelief dripping off the name leaving his mouth. He knew Madara better than anyone and he never saw him use a Jutsu of this nature before. Imposter or not, however, he knew better than to push his luck too far. "what we don't understand is what actions are you speaking of? Are they the ones that involve the Jinchuriki of the Hidden Leaf and Cloud, or does it have to do with the attack of Konoha itself?"

"For such a perceptive fence sitter, you surely don't see the bigger picture clearly out of those decrepit eyes of yours, Onoki," Madara taunted, watching with satisfaction at the elderly Kage squirming with indignation.

"Enough of this!" Raikage snarled aloud, his body igniting with Lightning Chakra. "what have you done with Bee?! Answer me, Madara!"

"In good time, Raikage," Madara coolly responded. "once you understand, we will-"

A sudden flash of light and a blur of motion was all the indication of Raikage's charge. His movement flourished all the way to the upper partition's wall, bodily smashing it with an outstretched fist. Incredulous eyes widened cause the Hidden Cloud's leader to turn his head over his shoulder with confusion, believing to have made contact with his target.

"-get down to business," Madara finished, uninhibited by the fact the Raikage visibly appeared to have passed straight through his form without any signs of tension or movement.

"He evaded the Raikage's **Raiton no Yoroi**?!" Darui gasped aloud with shock.

"No, he didn't distill his Chakra for rapid movement. He simply just stood there," Cee confirmed with his own sensory skills, lowering handsigned digits to his sides when he couldn't discover anymore. "what kind of Jutsu is that?"

Casually leaping from his pedestal, Madara glided down next to Karin's side, causing all proximate Shinobi and Kunoichi to raise their guard instantly. Even the scarlet haired Taka operative raised her hands up with apprehension, unsure what to make of Sasuke's masked savior. Upon an unceremonious drop of his body in front of her, all thoughts of caution were thrown to the wind.

"Sasuke!" Karin exclaimed as she crawled on her hands and feet, wrapping her arms around the unconscious and lightly breathing man's frame. Even as she grabbed hold of him, she could feel a sudden whirling sensation take hold of her and the boy she had in her possession. Looking up, she briefly let out a squeak of surprise, feeling herself get sucked into a unnerving black hole that siphoned up into the eyehole of Madara's mask.

"He extracted Sasuke and the girl!" Kankuro noted from a distance, gritting his teeth visibly with frustration. The target's gone and his Chakra literally gone into the void where none could trace him. The only one left standing of the Akatsuki's ranks was Madara himself, whom stood as impassively among their ranks as he would his own.

The second that the Raikage landed behind Madara's rear flank, the triple-tomoe eye narrowed with appropriation of the situation. His hands raised up and formed three distinct, unfamiliar seals before committing to a Jutsu, "Allow me to introduce to you the one responsible for Konoha's destruction, and the Leader of the Akatsuki!"

A sudden change in the air could be felt. Visible waves of frequencies emitted across space, causing it to blur perception as if static was lacing over the interior of the summit room. Long seconds would pass as the ominous foreshadowing of the leader's arrival was made known before a coalescence of colors began to form directly in front of Madara.

By the time it formed a rainbow silhouette, the only true distinct characteristics of the being was a pair of vibrant purple ringed eyes, spiraling eternally in a mesmerizing pattern. The imposing stature could only be one of absolute authority, and the headband crossing over his forehead with a jagged scratch over what would be seen as the Amegakure insignia; smooth lines running down to symbolize rain.

"**Greetings, Kage of the Shinobi World,**" Pain spoke in a solemn, level tone even deeper than Madara's. "**my name is Pain, and I've come to announce the surrender of authority your Villages possess over the world.**"

It was, at this moment, that the entirety of the summit room's occupants were drawn into a dramatic web of silence. Not only was this a bold declaration by a ghostly apparition from the highest chain of the Akatsuki's leadership, but it was his mere presence what rattled them. Those with higher sensory abilities could clearly feel the unsettling pressure such potent Chakra made within the air, as if it was choking them and weighing their bodies down.

The first to make an audible rebuttal to such a vague ultimatum was the youngest of the Kage assembled. Walking forward, the red-haired boy with dark lined eyes parted through the dazed or tension filled Shinobi. Reaching a handful of meters in front of Pain, Gaara asked in a calm and composed tone of his own. "What makes you believe that we'd surrender to the likes of you, Akatsuki?"

"**An understandable question. To answer it, I must first explain the situation you're all in,**" Pain continued, narrowing his eyes in a condescending manner at Gaara, briefly darting the spiral orbs to and fro among those who are around his presence. "**for days you've been searching for your beloved Jinchuriki, the prided weapons of Konohagakure and Kumogakure. I will inform you all of the undeniable and what most of you have concluded to be the truth: The Tailed Beasts are all within our possession!**"

"W-What?!" The Mizukage gasped aloud, her visible eye widening with abstract horror etched into her features.

"N-No way," Temari whispered lowly, gulping audibly to bog down her own very apparent fear.

"Naruto...!" Gaara thought with internal alarm. The expression of disbelief and equal terror made clear to the Akatsuki leader standing in front of him.

"**Yes. All Nine Tailed Beasts have been assimilated. Now I shall tell you what I told Naruto back in Konoha,**" Pain continued, catching the attention of the disbelieving Gaara. "**there is a weapon that is holding all of the Tailed Beasts within a single body. It was created in an era before the dawn of Shinobi and Kunoichi, before Ninjutsu was ever realized. It is simply known as the Gedo Statue, a construct of the Sage of Six Paths.**

"**Under my control, no force in the world, Shinobi or the like could ever withstand a conflict with us. War will only be wrought by the pain of annihilation that my Tailed Beast Weapon. The knowledge of pain and fear of recurring horror will keep the world from starting war again. Peace will be realized and the ever-constant bloodshed your Villages have wreaked across these lands will be kept in check.**

"**So, to answer your question you possessed earlier, Kazekage,**" Pain concluded, his level-eyed stare locking onto the wavering gaze of the man who came so boldly before to his midst. "**I am gathering your surrender under the authority that you wish to survive. Resisting at this point would be pointless and delaying the inevitable. Peace would be gained easier without unnecessary bloodshed."**

"You talk about unnecessary bloodshed," Gaara said immediately in retort. Tears welled up within his eyes, only overshadowed by the deathly glare projecting in Pain's direction. The visible snarl was one of righteous rage awoken from the pain of the obvious conclusion his sharp mind made. "but killing my closest friend, those of Konoha, and the countless Jinchuriki who possessed the Tailed Beasts including myself is _necessary_? Your words are filled with nothing but empty promises, covered by lies like poison. Surrender is the last thing I will ever give to the likes of your kind!"

"Well said, Kazekage!" Raikage shouted from behind,

Narrowing his eyes at the boy Kage, Pain didn't seemed the least bit surprised. Letting out a irate sigh, he turned his gaze to glance over his right shoulder to stare in Madara's direction. "**Madara. Bring the Kages to their graves.**"

"It'll be a pleasure," Madara spoke aloud with confirmation. Even as the air began to distort and bubble in audible transparency, Pain's Gentoshin avatar vanished as suddenly as Madara's warped through space. Before any could react, Madara's form reappeared directly behind Gaara's.

"Gaara-!" Kankuro shouted aloud, already fishing out one of his puppets from his back.

"Behind you!" Temari yelled in concurrence, leaping up into the air with her large Wind fan.

The Kazekage's sand moved faster than either of his bodyguards. And even then, it didn't immediately pour out of the gourd to shield him from the hand grappling his head. Was it due to the fact he slipped through space as the alternative hyper speed, one could only guess.

With that said, the vacuum projected from Madara's eyehole grabbed hold of the Kazekage with ease along with what sand had leaked from the gourd. His image distorted as it spiraled up into his mask, leaving no trace of his presence behind for anyone to see or feel. Not even an utterance was aloud when he vanished, making the morbid disappearance act that much more dreadful.

"One down," Madara said with satisfaction.

"**Kamaitachi no Jutsu!**" Temari shouted aloud with vehemency, swinging her 3 violet mooned fan out downwards. The delivering shredding gusts of wind crashed into the ground with such ferocity that it blasted debris and blistering currents upon indenting the floor with its wrathful waves. All the while she launched her attack from above, Kankuro could see the unaffected Madara sink into the floor, as if he had become completely transparent.

"_This guy...he can phase through our attacks like a ghost,_" Kankuro thought with shocked realization.

"_The Kazekage just vanished, just like Sasuke Uchiha and that girl_," the Mizukage shuddered, her body visibly recoiling at something happening to someone of her level.

Tension filled the air as everyone looked around, trying to gauge the arrival and location of Madara. But as it was before, none, not even the Sensory Shinobi present could detect his location. It was as if the entirety of his existence was erased from their senses.

"WHERE IS HE?!" The Raikage roared with anger, body already igniting his chakra electricity to encase his body in full.

Darui quickly rushed up and over one of the tables, his body rushing towards the Raikage's direction. "_I gotta protect Lord Raikage! If he's going after each Kage, we'll need to be at their backs so they can't get snatched up!_"

Just about halfway to his boss's side, Darui caught a glimpse of a body rising up out of the floor. Like a black and red wraith, Madara's body seemed to materialize just behind the Raikage's body. Nonchalantly, he would cross his arms over his chest and utter just behind the feral Kage, "Looking for me, Raikage?"

"BASTARD!" The Raikage twirled on his feet, thrusting his sole gargantuan fist at a speed few could even perceive. Even as the set of dark skinned knuckles bore into the masked visage of his enemy he would find that he was unable to feel brain matter or flesh bowl over the force of his attack. In fact, from the way it looked, it seemed his entire forearm was fused through a non-existent skull. "wh-what are you?!"

Bending his head to the right, a suckling vacuum grappled the giant of a Shinobi. As with the Kazekage, it pulled him into the vortex and spiraled his hulking mass into the eyehole of the mask donned upon the elusive Shinobi. Just like the Kazekage, any tremendous sensation of Chakra emanating from the Raikage had been completely erased.

"Boss!" Darui uttered aloud with horror, the grasp over the hilt of his enlarged nodachi katana slipping at witnessing what had transpired to such a powerful warrior. Turning his head over to his blonde-haired associate, Darui asked in a short breath, "Cee! Can you-?"

"No," Cee said curtly, his handsigned digits falling back to his sides, a look of forlorn coming over his visage. "whatever Jutsu Madara is using, it isn't leaving any trace to their destination."

"And now it is your turn," Madara's single-eyed gaze inclined upwards at the levitating Shinobi, glaring at him incredulously with rapidly swelling panic. "Onoki!"

"I don't know if you really are Madara or not, but mark my words," The eldest Kage uttered, making handsigns with his sentence of proclamation. Clasping his hands together, he formed a conical shaped manifestation of particles between his palms and clenched digits. "I will stop you!"

"Don't let anymore Kages get captured!" Mifune shouted, his body already lunging forward with his bodyguards. Joined with him was Temari, rushing swiftly across the summit flooring to meet Madara head-on.

"You're mine!" Darui snarled, his body encased with black lightning as he unsheathed his sword from his back. With a downward cleaving motion, a large trench was carved into the ground where Madara stood. Not even wasting time to stand and phase through the attack, Madara sprinted past Darui, moving swiftly towards the airborne Tsuchikage.

"HM!" Mifune grunted, slicing at the air where Madara's head was, seeing it directly pass through his skull.

"HAH!" Temari whipped around her enclosed fan to hit at his legs, only smashing the ground and watching the speeding limbs continue rushing forward.

Likewise, the two samurai bodyguards performed bisecting slashes, finding that their own attacks were nullified effortlessly as Madara rushed past them.

They all turned around to see the masked Shinobi bend his legs just a moment to follow-up with a forward flip. He rose high up into the air, arcing up all the way to the ceiling to stick upon its surface in a crouched stance. Without a single word later, the oldest threat to the Shinobi world jettisoned himself off the ceiling with a burst of dispersed chakra, leaving a cerulean exhaust of steam in his wake.

"You're mine!" The Tsuchikage proclaimed, unleashing a geyser of conical shaped particle light from his fingertips. It expanded over the entirety of where Madara's accelerating body was moving from, spearing a hole through the roof of the immense building's structure, leaving a beam of light visible for miles around the Land of Iron.

Eerily, Madara's orange mask seemed to pass right in front of the aged Kage's beam of light and phase through his own startled visage. During the passage of ghostly matter, Madara's form seemed to flip forward, allowing him to be facing the diminutive levitating Shinobi as he fully passed through his form.

"Wha-?!" Was all the exclamation that the Tsuchikage permitted, finding himself swiftly sucked into the ocular vortex that flowed into the orange spiral shaped mask. The Akatsuki Shinobi deftly realigned his body to land upon one of the unshattered tables, gently tapping his sandals upon its surface.

"One more to go," Madara muttered evenly. Arching his head to the side, he fixed a menacing glare in the Mizukage's direction.

"Dammit! We can't touch this guy!" Kankuro swore aloud.

"Form a barrier around the Mizukage!" Mifune ordered, swinging his blade to the side in emphasis.

Even as the Shinobi and Samurai still present rushed to form a ring of protection around the Mizukage, Madara's body began to warp in an audible bubbling sound. Before any could conjure thought, his form was already grappling the female Kage from behind, putting her in a headlock.

"Be right back," Madara announced, his body and the Mizukage's struggling form warping out of visual perception.

"L-Lady Mizukage!" Chojuro screamed with terror, reaching out towards the spot where his beloved superior had been stolen away.

"All of them...gone...!" Kankuro whispered aghast, stumbling backwards at the revelation at just what happened to their strongest village leaders. Excluding the vacant Danzo, acting Hokage, every other Kage attending the summit had been captured by Madara with unnerving ease. "just like the first time...with Gaara...!"

"Boss," Darui whispered, his eye widened and uncertain. Looking to Cee, he could still tell from the look on his face that they were all long gone. Bowing his head, he could only clench his fists with frustration, feeling completely helpless.

Sheathing his sword, Mifune sat down in a cross-legged stance, earning looks of confusion from the assorted Shinobi and Kunoichi alike. "If searching our enemy is going to be problematic, I suggest we wait. Madara said with his own words that he would return. No need to waste any energy in doing otherwise."

"I guess that's all we can do," Kankuro agreed with a nod.

And it wouldn't take long. What seemed like hours for most was only a handful of minutes before they would witness the air bubbling rupture within space. This time, Madara wasn't alone, and the sight was far from pleasant.

Madara's robed form would be but at the center, as six identical orange haired and violet spiral eyed individuals would surround him. Two of the four entities had the bodies of the Kage, notably protruding a number of black rods piercing their bodies in multiple vital areas. Notably at the forefront was the Deva Path body of Pain whom spoke over the Gentoshin Jutsu, Tendo Pain.

Not a single utterance could be made among those who were observing. Gasps, sobs, and barely controlled growls of rage were collectively shared by the Shinobi and Kunoichi within the Summit room. But the overall mutual emotion, fear, was the only thing they all could agree upon sharing with each other.

"Your Kages are dead," Tendo Pain spoke matter-of-factly, "just as the Jinchuriki they were desperate in recovering. Seeing this, do you now see the futility of resistance, Shinobi of the Great Nations?"

Mifune rose, being the only one among them with the composure and clarity to delegate diplomacy with the Akatsuki present. Not moving forward from his position, the aged Samurai only inquired, "What do you want from us now?"

"Cooperation," The Akatsuki Leader spoke firmly, his ringed eyes narrowing at the head Samurai, "surrender control over Five Great Nations as military powers, and allow the Akatsuki to be the sole form of strength over this continent."

"Those conditions may not be easy to accept," Mifune began to utter, promptly interrupted by Pain's terse voice.

"This isn't a _condition_. This is _cooperation_. You don't have any say in how this plays out. Act against these plans and you will find yourselves joining the Kages and Jinchuriki," Pain threatened, allowing his Paths to unceremoniously dump their bodies next to their feet, planting their sandal bound soles atop of them. "understand?"

* * *

"From that point on, that Summit marked the end of Hidden Villages being a direct arm of the Five Great Nations. Due to the Konohagakure's absence from the summit, we were deigned as a hostile force and were promptly targeted. With the full power of the Akatsuki to bear on us, we didn't stand a chance in the counterattack. Many perished so that the rest of us could flee, and have since been hunted down wherever we go.

"From the intel we've gathered, the Land of Lightning had tried to instigate a continental rebellion by gaining support from the various other Shinobi Villages and smaller nations alike. This plan failed, as the nation itself was wiped out by the Tailed Beast Weapon that had been announced at the Summit. Since then, there hasn't been a real uprising or war, besides these skirmishes we keep having with the Shinbu Corps.

"Now we are all that's left in the fight against the Akatsuki," Neji finished, sighing heavily as he gazed into the glimmering tongues of the campfire.

As Neji's words settled into the eerie silence of the night, the crackling fire and chirping crickets was all that anyone could hear. Moegi had curled up into a ball, having decided to stay and hear what she already knew while awaiting the reaction of their newfound ally. Hinata, having broken from her daze awhile ago, had left in morbid silence to go join the rest on guard.

All of which had left Ichigo to mull over what had been said. His crosslegged stance had turned into a forward leaning posture, with his hands entwined by the digits. Hazel irises gazed into the dancing tongues of orange, yellow and red, projecting a look of contemplation of the crisis that he had been thrust into. If anyone didn't know any better, it almost appeared as if he had stopped breathing with how still he had become.

"Alright," Ichigo said with a sigh, leaning back upright to lock gazes with Neji once more, "I'll do it."

"Do...what?" Moegi asked in Neji's stead, whom the latter just blinked at Ichigo with perplexion.

Slamming a fist into an open palm, Ichigo said with a wry grin, "I'm going to kick the Akatsuki's collective asses, that's what!"

"Huh?!" Moegi's jaw dropped, her body practically falling onto its backside from how stunned and confused by this man's declaration. "you're going to fight the Akatsuki?! Did you fall asleep while Neji was talking or are you just plain stupid?!"

"I've been called that before, though it's never stopped me before," Ichigo nonchalantly shrugged, placing his hands on either of his thighs.

"The strongest we ever had never even measured close to them. Pain is bad enough, but the entire Akatsuki?!" Moegi pushed herself to her feet, balling her fists at her side to emphasize her angry words. "you're just asking for a death wish!"

"What Moegi says may be harsh, but she holds a fair point," Neji said coolly, briefly glancing harshly at Moegi before realigning his gaze with Ichigo's impassive stare. "the Akatsuki are unlike any force ever assembled in this world. A single member of their organization is enough to take on a small army or destroy a Hidden Village entirely. But it is maddening to consider defeating them all, even by yourself."

"I've been placed in worst odds before," Ichigo said with assurance, placing his hands on his knees. "listen, I know you may be thinking this has nothing to do with me or this isn't my fight. Whether I like it or not I've been placed into that position more times than I could count. This isn't about obligation or pity. This is just me wanting to do something about this injustice and help avenge those who never got a chance to have a brighter future. If I turn my back on you all now when I'm able to help now...I'll be worst scum than those who were responsible for this tragedy!"

"Ichigo..." Moegi whispered, her eyes blinking with query, dumbfounded by this stranger's confidence not to mention complete selflessness. While more brazen and straight-forward than the role model of Konohamaru's, there was something about him that reminded her of Naruto. If only a little, it was comforting, causing her to smile sadly as she dipped her head down to look at the ground.

"I admire your conviction, but you won't be able to fight these kind of enemies head-on. You'd have to navigate the land and fight them on your terms, otherwise you'd be walking straight into a trap. They'd be expecting you," Neji explained straightforward.

"Not worried about that last part," Ichigo waved off nonchalantly, "I just want to know where to look for the nearest place they'd be. From there, I think I can handle the rest."

"If your mind is already set on it, I won't stop you," Neji said with a sigh, closing both of his pupiless eyes before reopening them to stare seriously at Ichigo. "I just urge you to be careful. Not all of their battles have been won by attrition alone. You may not be equipped to handle them."

"Won't know till I try, will-" Ichigo queried rhetorically, only to be cut off a sudden explosion in the air. "-the hell?!"

Moegi turned around on her heels, clasping her hands to form a handsign. Instantly, she found the origin of the cause, turning around to point behind Neji, "It was Hinata! She attacked something in the treelines just a dozen meters away!"

Activating his Byakugan upon reflex, Neji instantly rose to his feet and kicked sand into the fire to douse it immediately. With Ichigo stumbling upright to follow them, Neji past through the humble campsite towards the location where Hinata was. Skidding to a halt, he saw her bending down to scoop up a raven, examining it when she stood upright.

"We've been tracked," Hinata said smoothly, tossing the bird's mangled body towards Neji.

Catching it deftly with one hand, his eyes widened upon what he saw in the bird's eye sockets. "Rinnegan! This is one of Pain's Summons!"

"T-Then that means," Moegi trailed off, a look of horror etched upon her young visage.

Throwing the bird to the ground, Neji quickly expanded his field of omnidirectional vision. It wasn't until he spotted something within two kilometers that he saw what he was expecting to find. "Two Chakra signatures of high potency heading from the east. They must have been alerted of our whereabouts by Pain!"

"They're Akatsuki!" Hinata exclaimed with horrified widened eyes, gulping down a lump of fear down her throat.

Ichigo could vaguely feel what they were worried about. Suppressed to a level much more controlled than those of the Shinbu Corps he met earlier, he could tell that these Akatsuki were on a completely different level than those of their subordinates. Now he understood why they were so hesitant to engage in a fight with them.

Moegi's personal twiddling was interrupted when she saw Ichigo sprint away from their midst, already gaining impeccable speed in the approaching Akatsuki's direction. "W-Where are you going?!"

"Get as far away from here as you can!" Ichigo called out from over his shoulder, traces of emerald energy coating the back of his heels as he channeled Bringer Light. "I'll handle them!"

"What are you doing?! Come back! ICHIGO!" Moegi shouted after the Substitute Shinigami, watching him accelerate far beyond her reach.

* * *

The wind lapped at his cloak as he ran. His body moved at a pace similar to his prior sprint towards the forest. All he could focus on was the two now very apparent signatures running in his direction, aiming to cause more death and destruction.

"_Not if I can help it!_" Ichigo thought with assurance, his brows knitted into an angry glare as he propelled himself forward.

The trees, illuminated by the starry sky and crescent moon, was all a blur to him. He might as well been a missile with as much force he put into his charge. The air was distilled by the thrum of lime-hued trailing energy that allowed him to rush across the ground and pass by air currents with frictionless velocity.

By the time he reached the signatures all he saw was two sole dark robed silhouettes. Hoods drawn over their heads, their bodies were obscured by linen of black background and red clouds. Their movement was faltered, for a moment, upon seeing the emerald light overcasting the rampaging Ichigo.

Ichigo didn't even try to give them a moment of respite.

Reaching out with both hands, he grabbed the faceless entities by their necks, wrenching them right off their feet. Halting his momentum with a dramatic thrust of both arms, he slammed the two bodies into an enlarged trunk of a tree. The impact indented the frames into the base of the bark and shook the whole tree, though both didn't make an utterance let alone a move.

"Who the Hell are you?!" Ichigo yelled in a demanding tone, clenching his fists tightly around the two obscured necks.

It was then, by the sudden fluctuation in the signatures he clenched so tightly, caused his eyes to widen with alarm. All he could do was release his hold over the two beings as the two cloaked forms swelled and then spontaneously combusted. The twin blasts were enough to annihilate the tree into hundreds of splinters, flowing outwards to shake the foundation of the small clearing within the woodland.

"D-Dammit!" Ichigo swore aloud, his body dropping to a graceful tap a dozen meters away from the blast, trails of steam rising up from his partially burnt hands and forearms. "that hurt...!"

"Not the reaction I expected from someone who took a **Bunshin Daibakuha **point blank," A level montone, female voice spoke up above him. Turning his gaze over his shoulder slowly, he saw a pair of silhouettes bathed in the crescent moonlight. "that is, if you hadn't avoided it at the last moment."

Ichigo's demeanor shifted as swiftly as his body did. Looking up at them, he examined his newfound enemies.

The one who spoke to him outright stood on the top of the leaf-less tree branch with a stance that was chillingly composed. Raven hued tresses were bound up into a high-rised ponytail, hair that passed between her linen covered shoulderblades. Violet-hued irises glared down at him with an analytical, predatory manner that complimented her fair complexioned skin and sharp visage. Upper arms and shoulders were exposed, leaving her elbows down to her fingertips bound in leather and metallic bands, a series of metallic pockets adorning the upper partition of the "gloves". While her hour glass shaped waist was comprised of a number of containers and holsters, the majority of her person was bound in brown and black material similar to a hybrid of pliant metal and leather. The most distinct feature of her equipment and attire was a large ring blade, looped diagonally over her constrained bust from her left shoulder to her right hip.  
The second one upside down, comically enough. Glistening white hair that sparkled similar to the stars in the night sky, hung aloft in a heart-shaped braided style ponytail. Her face, mostly obscured by an expanding bubble of gum, was rounder and more childishly proportioned, but still held a marble smooth sheen that reflected off of similarly shimmering silver eyes. Mostly adorned in Akatsuki robes, she held a standard dark blue and black tunic underneath, with a number of holsters aligned in bandoleer style over her plump covered bosom and waistline. Even more strangely enough was a back-harnessed rack of scrolls, up to six in particular were locked into place.

Popping the bubble, the lower Kunoichi chewed a bit before asking aloud in a pleasantly curious tone, "Is that him, Akimai?"

"Yes, Shigure," The woman above spoke aloud, narrowing her eyes dangerously at Ichigo, "that's the Spirit who's crossed the veil of the netherworld into our own."

"Looks awfully cute!~" Shigure said in a sing-song voice, faint laughter bubbling out of her as she crouched vertically upside down. Blinking a few times, she couldn't help but cock her head side to side from her inverted position. "he looks a bit familiar, doesn't he?"

Grasping the ring blade off her person, Akimai slowly unlooped her from her person and held it with either hand, keeping her person within its center, "Erase the similarity of whom you're thinking of, Shigure. For when we're done with him, he won't be distinguishable to _that _person!"

* * *

**A/N:** Whew! Done! Managed to get this all out in a week's time! Yay me! :D

I'm really happy by all the Reviews and positive reception I've had at this point. You really all encouraged me to get this done in a week's time, so thank you. I couldn't have been this inspired to continue without your positive input ^^

Alright, a few things to cover about this Chapter.

Firstly, I apologize for its length. It couldn't be helped. I had too much to cover, and even after cutting out certain things in order to make it more compact, I wanted to leave this Chapter off at a better ending than a rushed one.

Next I wish to discuss the brief mentions of the "Tailed Beast Weapon" mentioned in this Chapter. While it was a vague term at best mentioned by Pain before we found out what it really was, I decided to take a different spin off of it, make it something that the Sage of Six Paths made for the intent and purpose of sealing the Tailed Beasts within it. For what purpose other than being a sadist I'm leaving up to your interpretation. I just thought to get that out of the way.

With all of that cleared up, any further questions may be sent to me via PM so I can keep spoilers and such at a minimum in the Reviews section. ;P

Alrighty. I guess that wraps up everything. I'll see you all on the next Reap the Pain Chapter update!

Extra Treats!: Some translations for the Japanese techs used in this Chapter. Hope you all enjoy ^^

**Doton, Dory****u****hek****i:** Earth Release, Earth-Style Wall

**Suiton, Takirimi Kuchi no Jutsu**: Water Release, Sea Rain Spout Jutsu

**Ikiken:** Spirit Blade (Derived of Water Release.)

**Ninpo, Saikuron Oishi Kako: **Ninja Art, Cyclone Boulder Drop

**Shinra Tensei:** Heavenly Subjugation of the Omnipresent God

**Bansho Ten'in:** Heavenly Attraction of All of Creation

**Jinton, Genkai Hakuri:** Dust Release, Detachment of the Primitive World Technique

**Raiton no Yoroi:** Lightning Release Armour

**Gentoshin no Jutsu: **Magic Lantern Body Technique

**Kamaitachi no Jutsu: **Sickle Weasel Technique

**Bunshin Daibakuha: **Clone Great Explosion


	3. The Death God

**Reap the Pain **

* * *

**Chapter 3 - The Death God**

* * *

"_What_ man_? How do I look familiar to them?_" Were Ichigo's only thoughts as he identified the two women in dark trappings. Whoever they were the Substitute Shinigami could sense the subdued and controlled Spiritual Pressure within them both. Their reservoir of strength he could tell is much higher than those he fought before. Reaching a hand towards the protruding dark hilt of his Zanpakutou, he could only tense his muscles with preparation. "_might need to take the gloves off for this one..._"

It was in this moment, that the two Kunoichi moved in unison.

Akimai briefly let her body fall forward, her partner synchronized in a backwards pendulum loop up towards the branch perch she abandoned. Keeping her soles on the forward facing part of the tree limb, she bent her knees quickly before discharging a blast of Wind Nature Chakra at the soles of her sandal-bound feet. Even as her form spiraled forward at a speed that only Ichigo's keen senses could perceive, Shigure withdrew ten arrow shaped shurikens from her sleeves, hurtling them with surprising speed and guidance.

Choosing to err on the side of caution, Ichigo's form shimmered in a burst of Shunpo-induced speed, vividly flourishing half a dozen meters to his right. Strangely, during the time he was rapidly thrusting himself away, he caught the constant ever-watching gaze of the approaching Akimai.

"_She can see my Shunpo?!_" He thought with surprise, his hand already reaching for the handle of his Zanpakutou and grasping it firmly.

With only a handful of paces between her and the ground which she and Shigure had targeted, she performed an incredible feat. What could only be described as a discharge of air from her very pores, Akimai spun to her left, guiding the outer edge of her ring blade in the direction where Ichigo stood.

Meanwhile, the quarter digit long projectiles struck the ground with enough force to cause indentations equal to that of a cannon ball impact. The uproars of earth created a dynamic background as Akimai's form seemed to blur in a windmilling gust of visual death.

"Hngh!" Ichigo grunted aloud with a swift diagonal slash forward, the air pressure being sliced through by the rapidly approaching, rotating ring blade. Both blades clashed with a violent thrumming exhale of opposing powers, grating metal spraying a shower of orange sparks. Both fighters' tresses rippled with movement as their eyes locked onto each other with matching intensity.

It was during this duel of glares that Akimai took advantage of their blade lock. With her body aligned in a perpendicular position in the middle of the air, she swung out her free right foot around to land a kick to the Substitute Shinigami's face. Halted by a pendulum swinging block with his left free forearm, he failed to notice the secondary foot wrapping around the other side of his defending limb until the last moment.

With a twist of her hips to turn her airborne body in a 180 angle backwards, she thrusted Ichigo around in an arching motion. Tumbling in the middle of space, Ichigo couldn't find anything to grapple on immediately to regain his stance, leaving him open to the follow-up attack Akimai had planned. Spinning around four revolutions in a single second, Akimai released her hold with one hand on the ring blade as she unlooped it over her head, sending it vertically sailing across the air towards her prey.

"HA!" Ichigo shouted in retort, swinging his Zanpakutou around to parry the ring blade away with a metallic crack. Managing to right himself with a porous dispersal of fullbrought light, his heels skidded to the ground at the same moment Akimai casually landed on her own heels, sticking out her left hand out to expertly grasp the inner edge of the spinning discus weapon.

"Tch, you're a lot better than the goons I thrashed before," Ichigo commented offhandedly, swinging his blade to the side with his right hand open palmed by his side. "but you still won't win. Walk away now and I won't be forced to kill you."

"You're in no position to make demands, Spirit," Akimai declared stoically, already spinning her ring blade with her left outstretched hand. With every passing revolution, the blade's outlined shimmered with a silver light, expanding and causing it to increase rotation speed in addition of creating a distinct pressure of energy. Using her right hand, she clenched all but her forefinger digits, holding it up towards her visage in a dividing manner. "you're nothing but a target in need of evisceration."

In a swift pendulum motion, Akimai lifted her spinning ring blade up a foot before taking a foot forward, slinging it a rapid arcing motion of her arm. At a velocity that left a streaking blur within the horizon, one could already see the difference between the prior throw and this one.

Then, Akimai made a sole utterance, "**Waken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**"

These words of declaration harnessed the focused projection of Chakra flowing through the ring blade. This caused a dispersal of smoke flowed out from the ring blade, revealing not one but nearly a hundred of them in a wall of rotating metal thrumming through the air.

"Oh shit!" Ichigo swore aloud, eyes beading down to small dots upon seeing not one fastly approaching storm of projectiles.

Thinking fast, Ichigo grasped the hilt of his sword with both hands, raising it up over his head. Coating it with fullbrought energy he swung it down, creating a rift of accelerative air pressure to glide along the force of his sword swing. Such a powerful shockwave was created that the ensuing airwaves scattered the incoming storm of blades, creating a wave of smoke in the backlash that concealed the original weapon.

Within the blowback, however, Akimai seemed to have vanished from both Ichigo's sight and his senses.

"Where did she-?!" Ichigo began to voice his query, finding it answered with a faint tap 13 meters to his left.

Even as his peripheral made out Akimai's visage, he could make out twin arching motions of her arms before a number of chakram shurikens were hurtled in his direction. Producing extensions of cutting discs of Wind Nature chakra around their edges, four foot wide cutting saucers hummed through the space separating hunter from hunted.

"Enough!" Ichigo shouted, propelling himself forward in a visibly disappearing rush of Shunpo. His body glided through the air at accelerated momentum, easily passing through the spaces the Chakrams possessed, appearing before her within a heartbeat.

Without as much a warning the Substitute Shinigami ran his blade through the torso of Akimai's body, splitting the tree's thick trunk behind her. Caught up in the heat of the moment, he failed to notice the sign of visible swelling and contortion her body possessed before it was too late. Orange and red flames discharged from the supposed Akimai, shattering yet another tree from the force, this time claiming its victim at point blank.

"GAH!" Blown back by another spontaneous combustion, steam trailed all along his frame as he tumbled down, his ears ringing from the pyrotechnic rattling impact his body took. With his left hand instinctively bracing his fall with a fullbrought pulse, he dampened his fall to a gentle skid instead of a rocketing thrust into the earth. "damn, I felt that one too!"

"You really aren't human if you can withstand a **Bunshin Daibakuha **without so much as a scratch," Akimai's voice emanated from Ichigo's right, standing stoically now more than a dozen meters away from him. "destroying you will require more..._drastic _measures."

"Drastic measures?" Ichigo queried aloud in a rhetorical sense. His hazel eyes glared in her direction upon his body rising back to full height, pointing Zangetsu in her direction. "like the measures that condone mass genocide and choking the life out of people who didn't deserve it?!"

"I don't care for the actions of others nor my organization's past ones," Akimai spoke bluntly, looping her ring blade around her torso and left hip diagonally. "in a few moments, it won't matter anyways."

"What's the matter? Giving up so soon before the fight's started?!" Ichigo goaded aloud, swinging his free arm and sword wielding hand in a beckoning gesture.

His voiced challenge would be met by another one, high above his head.

"**Kuchiyose no Jutsu!**" Shigure shouted, her hands clasped in ritualistic signage. A scroll spread out in a twenty five meter radius, spiraling around like a whirlpool of crimson and beige coloration. When she made her declaration, dozens of explosions of smoke-filled summoning was displayed, revealing what had been teleported by its summoner.

"What the Hell?!" Ichigo retorted with a visible twitch of confusion. There, descending down from the heavens, was nearly thirty evenly spaced out black pikes with various studs protruding from its bases. They were fifteen meters in length and about as wide as Ichigo was, all of them roaring downwards with incredible velocity.

Leaping back, Ichigo narrowly avoided a single pike that burrowed into the earth, just as suddenly as a few dozen other dozen pikes cemented themselves into the ground. Blinking away the cloud of dust that had formed, he noticed that slowly downward gliding Shigure and the now retreating frame of Akimai that something was up. High pitched whistling and crackling sounds concluded this train of logic.

All of the studs extended outwards from all the pikes exposed kanji-laced tags registered 'explosive' and 'fire'. All around the Substitute Shinigami, dozens of spreaded out pikes began to glow ominously, indicating the imminent eruption of firepower.

Then, they detonated.

* * *

**One minute ago...**

Having taken a safe distance to observe, Neji and Hinata both engaged their Byakugan to monitor the battle of their newfound ally against the Akatsuki. With them, along with their unconscious captives, were the totality of their forces. Even though the battle had only started minutes ago, it felt like an eternity had dragged on since the orange-haired swordsman went to face his enemies.

And with growing pace of the battle, Neji could only grow more worried.

"These Akatsuki aren't giving Ichigo any reprieve. They're going in with the intent to kill," Neji spoke aloud informatively to his teammates, causing more than one pair of fists to clench along with audible swallows. "but he has yet to be in mortal danger."

"You mean, he's standing his ground against them?!" Moegi asked with visible blinks of perplexion.

"They appear to have the advantage in numbers and techniques, but he seems to be taking each blow in stride," Neji confirmed with a nod of his head, narrowing his vein-framed brows with intrigue. "the vitality this man has is extraordinary...!"

"Yes!" Rock Lee pumped his fist, clenching it vigorously, staring off in the wooden horizon with a comical starry light in his eyes. "the power of youth is surely strong in him!"

"I don't think that's what it is, Lee," Ten-Ten facepalmed, groaning at her teammates comment.

"He certainly has guts, if he isn't plain stupid, to take on the Akatsuki by himself," Kiba said lowly, his body flanked by his faithful hound Akamaru.

"I'm not sure what's more amazing. His conviction to end them on his own or the power he intends to do so," Shino murmured.

"He ain't that tough!" Konohamaru argued, waving a fist at the hooded Shinobi. "I could take him!"

"Your presence doesn't cause the insects inside of me to vibrate with excitement," Shino noted audibly, looking down at shaking dot-sized bugs shake along his fingertips. "this much residual Chakra even from this distance can be felt by my hive. I don't think anything other than a Jinchuriki could incite such anxiousness in my beetles-"

"Hold on!" Hinata shouted aloud with alarm, craning her neck upwards along with Neji's. What they all saw was a visible rain of dozens of iron pikes fallin downwards. So spread out was their trajectory that even a handful landed not but a dozen meters away from their position. As high pitched whines and hisses could be heard, the female Hyuga gasped with alarm at what she perceived. "explosive and pyro paper bombs! And the rods are full of shrapnel!"

"Everyone, get behind Hinata and I!" Neji ordered, causing all of the alert comrades to form a circle of protection, just as he leaped to their center along with Hinata. Spinning gracefully, dozens of ribbons flourished from Hinata's fingertips just as a circular wave of chakra was dispersed from Neji's pores.

Mere moments before the fiery explosion of metallic death shockwaved towards their position, they both shouted aloud in harmonious synch.

"**Hakkesh****o**** Kaiten****!**"

"**Shugohakke Rokujuyon Sho**!"

As a deafening roar of explosive and fiery accelerated shrapnel tore apart the wooden landscape in their proximity and beyond, a finite sphere of lines and rolling waves of sapphire chakra repelled the incoming wave of destruction. Even a handful of large chunks of metal debris striking it head-on were disintegrated from the backlash, fully repelling the onslaught.

By the time both Hyugas stopped moving their limbs and bodies, what they saw with natural eyesight was devastating. Over two kilometers of the decaying forest, treelines and foliage, was transformed into a widened impact site of craters, ashen earth, gnarled stumps. Sulfur and ozone wreaked through the atmosphere, dictating the ambient destruction that had been wrought around them.

"T-This kind of destruction...!" Udon gaped all around him, falling to his hands and knees with horror. "all done in a single attack?!"

"Are these Akatsuki insane?!" Kiba uttered with dilated pupils, his body overlapping a shaking Akamaru whom was whining with distress.

As Hinata took a few steps forward, her eyes widened in sync with her cousin's. In her field of vision, it appeared almost like an inferno of cerulean chakra appeared where she didn't see it before. It looked wrathful, yet very controlled, as if it had a sentient mind of its own.

"Incredible," Neji whispered out, his cousin in a daze at what she was witnessing, allowing him to convey what he was witnessing. "Ichigo is..."

* * *

"...still_ alive?!_" Akimai thought with shock, her body a good half kilometer outside of the blast radius. Shigure had glided beside where she had run to seconds before the blast took ignition, blinking with perplexion at the smoke curdling horizon that used to be the acre of woodlands.

"**Tetsukou Shoudo no Jutsu** didn't work?" Shigure audibly queried, scratching her silver tressed crown, craning it to the left.

"I don't know how, but my senses don't lie," Akimai said lowly, her eyes visibly scowling at the smog that Shigure's attack used. "I never thought to see any Spirit using a corporeal form to withstand one of your Super Summons."

"What's the plan now?" Shigure chewed nonchalantly on the gum in her mouth, blowing and popping it before pulling it back into her mouth once more.

Akimai grasped the inner edge of her ring blade, un-looping it around her person before laying it at her feet. She bit the surface of her left thumb, spilling blood, then began to write kanji along the exposed surface of her weapon's flat side. "Keep his attention with another one of your Super Summons. I'm going to try one last thing that should subdue him enough in order for him to be put down for good."

"Okey-dokey!" Shigure sang with glee, giggling as she practically skipped into the dark atmosphered landscape that the Substitute Shinigami was still residing in.

Near the center of the blast site was a small dome of earth. It glowed of emerald and cobalt light, having several large chunks of metal shrapnel piercing its frame but not cracking it significantly. A few seconds later, it crumbled, falling apart before turning back into decayed soil.

A crouched Ichigo, sword imbedded into the ground itself, rose with a long sigh of relief. Blinking his way through the thick layer of dust and foul smelling scents of the explosives employed, he could find no traces of his attackers once again. For the moment, he was glad of that.

"_Glad I thought to fullbring the earth around me to form a shield to channel my spirit energy through. I don't know if I could have withstood a blast of that scale without getting injured to some degree,_" Ichigo thought with belated honesty. "_these Akatsuki are sure relentless. They've never given me pause and work in complete synchronization with each other. That chick with the big-ass ring is probably the worst of the two. I gotta keep my guard u_-"

Ichigo's line of thought was cut off as the enemy renewed its attack.

"**Kuchiyose no Jutsu!**" The familiar voice of the white-haired Kunoichi shouted behind the Substitute Shinigami, causing a number of eruptions of grey-hued smoke to disperse what fog of war had been created by the past explosion.

What came to pass would be a number of weapons impaling themselves in the ground for a good two dozen meters around Ichigo's. Immaculate in craftsmanship, Ichigo could tell each of the practical and unorthodoxically designed tools were pulsing with self-sustaining spiritual energy. Ruby and cobalt hued yin-yang exterior devices seemed to be implanted over each weapon near the tsuba, hilt, or around the base of each weapon. Ichigo could only guess they were rudimentarily designed batteries to empower the weapons themselves.

Shigure smiled as the scroll was retracted with a deft pull from her right hand, sheathing it back into the cannister slung over her shoulders. Grasping a large buster sword near her right, she wrapped a loose tsuba-attached chain from a sickle upon her left. Cocking her head to the left she stretched a too-sweet smile across her face as she steadily approached Ichigo with both weapons in hand.

"How do you like my **Shihara no Jutsu**?" She asked in a curious tone as she drew closer to an impassive stanced Shinigami.

"A bit nostalgic to me for personal reasons," Ichigo said dryly, remembering his training with Zangetsu when he first achieved Bankai. Shrugging with afterthought, he swung his blade to an aloft position, allowing its edge to drag gratingly as he began to walk towards her. "other than that, I've seen more impressive ways of intimidation in a field of sakura petals."

"_Sakura petals?_" Shigure thought with dumbfoundedness. It was that instant of disbelief that Ichigo took advantage of.

Moving forward in a blurring accelerative motion of a fullbrought kick off the earth, Ichigo thrust his sword forward at Shigure. Her dumbfounded look was replaced with one of a wide-eyed blank visage, her heels spinning around to parry the giant butcher blade with her own edgeless double-sided buster blade with a visible dispersal of vibrant sparks.

With the flat of the weapon passing just over her left shoulder, Ichigo clenched his left fist and hurtled it forward, instantaneously embroiled with a current of azure light.

"**Senkou!**" Ichigo roared out, just as his knuckles mightily smashed through the grey-hued steel of the blade into dozens of fragments.

Due to impressive reflexes, Shigure only allowed the side of her arm be nicked and absorb the impact, causing her to spin away in a five meter tumble before deftly flipping atop of what appeared to be a large wrecking ball with many studs surrounding it.

"Nice reflexes," Ichigo complimented dryly, standing back erect to face his opponent readily once more.

"Not bad yourself," Shigure sang out back, a giggle escaping her throat as she smiled at him, giving him an unnerving tingle of uneasiness rushing up and down his spine. That quickly disappeared when she yanked one of the studs out, pulling a black chain along with her forward flipping frame. Just before she completely pulled it with her landing, she swung out her left arm to toss the sickle in a wide arc towards Ichigo's face.

Deftly bending his upper body back to avoid the sickle's reach, he swung his sword around in a blur, cutting the links that held the sickle to its owner. Just as the scythe blade tossed aimlessly to the horizon of proximate weapons, the giant stud-covered wrecking ball hurtled up into the air and flourished downwards thrust.

As it slammed into Ichigo's large sword, the Substitute Shinigami felt himself crouch slightly, feeling the density and weight of the large tool bearing down at him. What's more, he felt a sudden surge of spiritual energy well up within it. Almost as if it was going to-

"HAH!" Shigure crowed out at the last second, pulling the chain out of its studded sphere's socket to cause a sudden expulsion of chakra opposite of Ichigo to discharge. Each of the protruding rods seemed to act as thrusters, generating a large amount of kinetic propulsion to further stress Ichigo's firm defensive position.

"Ngh!" Ichigo growled visibly, using a second hand to brace against the thrusting weapon aiming to crush him from above.

During his straining plight, Shigure sprinted around towards his rear flank at a distance, grasping a handful of weapons pierced into the ground. One of them being a large crimson kanji enscribed, star-shaped shuriken which she looped over her left shoulder. Another being trident lance, already coiling with lightning nature chakra upon her grasping it. The last being a large double-sided hammer, visibly projecting flames from porous holes along each of the blunt weapon's faces.

"Take this!" Shigure cried out with a sinisterly giddy tone, emphasized by a silhouette of menace enrapturing her visage. Skipping up into the air, she swung her left arm towards Ichigo, sending the lightning chakra imbued trident singing through the air towards his backside.

At that moment, the orange-haired man did the unthinkable. Spinning on his heels, turning the edge of his blade and the downward thrusting sphere. Just bare meters from the thrown lance's target, Ichigo let out a gallant roar as he swung his sword in a downwards arc, slashing the wrecking ball in a cerulean outlined pair of bisected halves. In doing so he also unleashed a torrential pillar of shredding wind, halting the electrically endowed trident with enough force to shatter the weapon outright.

"Whoa!" Shigure gushed aloud, planting a foot forward with a retaliatory swing of her fire chakra infused hammer. When the forward facing face struck the geyser of air pressure, a plate within the hammer ignited a sudden release of flames, meeting the kinetic power of airwaves outright. With equal forces colliding, a swift explosion followed with enough backlash that the hammer itself was shattered at the point blank absorption of the blast's shockwave.

Even as she backflipped, allowing herself to be carried by the blast's force, she unlooped her shuriken swiftly enough to hurtle it at her enemy in a swift humming arc. Her feet glided across the surface of the ashen soil, hands already outstretched to pull out a scimitar and a katana from the earth in readiness to further engage her enemy. Just before she could rise from her crouch, she looked up to see Ichigo standing right in front of her.

"Eep!" Shigure squeaked out in fright, her weapons drawing into a protective X form just as Ichigo's blade swung in a downwards cutting arc. The azure glowing Zangetsu easily tore apart her tools, the chakra batteries frying instantly upon their hilts from the resonating pressure coursing through the blade. And this time, there was nothing protecting her from the airwaves propulsing from the accelerated power swing of the Shinigami's.

"GAH!" Shigure yelped aloud, feeling small lacerations form through her cloak as scalding steam practically tore apart the entirety of the high-collared coat instantaneously. Tumbling through erectly placed weapons, she grunted as she tumbled uncontrollably across the ground, landing a good two dozen meters away from Ichigo's stalwart standing position. "owwwwwww..."

"I'm giving you and your partner a chance to back off," Ichigo said stoically, lowering his blade to point in Shigure's direction. "the next stroke will be the end of you. That I can promise you!"

Staggering up to her feet, Shigure winced, feeling the cuts and first degree burns throb painfully across her upper body and her neck. Had she not wore the protective interwoven Shinobi mail in her tunic, she knew the damage would be a lot more substantial. "_To think a single sword swing could tear apart my Ninja Tools so easily, let alone send me flying back with so much damage without making direct contact. I can't let that sword touch me, otherwise I'm dead!_"

"No answer?" Ichigo growled with a vivid glare affixing his brow lines.

Shaking her head to disperse her alarmed reverie, Shigure grasped the hilt of a tossed over meat cleaver, spreading her legs into a defensive stance. "What do you think I'm going to say?"

"What I hope you were going to say is, 'Please don't kick my ass,' but your sarcasm is implying, 'Please kill my ass,' instead," Ichigo jeered. Emphasized with a sigh, he briefly closed his eyes before opening them, eyes igniting with a cerulean hued light. His body began to emanate a cobalt aura of spiritual energy, creating gusts of wind to be dispersed from his body to demonstrated the level of power he began to draw up from his being.

Raising his blade up over his head with both hands upraised, Ichigo announced with assurance, "I'm ending this now!"

A split second after he declared this, two things happened that offset his confidence.

The first was a pair of hands spearing through the ground below him, grasping his ankles with a vice grip, holding him in place. Not only did it break his concentration, but it drew his gaze downwards, leaving his arms stretched over his head. The second was a sudden eruption of earth around his body, the ring blade of Akimai's flowing up and over his head, entangling his being with a visible series of violet-hued threads. Immediately his aura was extinguished, and his body felt restrictive binds all around his pores.

"I-I...can't...move?!" Ichigo uttered aloud, his eyes twitching with alarm and equal frustration.

"That's right," Akimai suddenly spoke, her body ripping out of the earth suddenly, crouching just behind him while holding onto his ankles. Lifting the large man up by his lower limbs, she spun around on her heels, hurtling him across the horizon, causing him to painfully tumble through one of the halves of the bisected wrecking ball, smashing it thoroughly. "I placed a Fuinjutsu on you. I used it to stop a Shinobi named Yomi whom had imprisoned a powerful spirit inside of him. Neither of them could stop me from slaying them both afterwards."

As she finished, the ring blade hummed as it fell downwards, grasped deftly by an upraised right hand. Spinning with preparation, her eyes widened at seeing Ichigo's tumbled frame twitch with motion, struggling to move to his hands and knees with sword in hand. "_He's still moving?!_"

"You...bitch!" Ichigo snarled out loud, his body quaking with virulent violet light, offset by the asure currents of electric discharge emanating from his pores. Eyes raised up from a struggling neck had a blue sclera and yellow irises, emphasizing the pure rage welling up within him, empowering him to move against the seal. "if you think...a Seal...this weak is going...to defeat me...THINK...A...GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIN!"

With a voluminous shout, the Substitute Shinigami rose to his feet with a upward voluminous shout, projecting a omnidirectional wave of azure-white spiritual light. The ground was razed with orange embers, overlapped by the overcast of cerulean light that shattered the earth into webbed fractures extending for dozens of meters. The sheer density of the energy weighed upon the two Kunoichi was enough to force their skin to bead sweat at just standing up.

"This...This Chakra is," Akimai breathed aloud, her eyes glazed over with disbelief at the visible whirlwind of energy being brought out of a single entity. "unbelievable! Moryo's power pales in comparison to this spirit's!"

In that moment of disbelief, Ichigo's uninhibited frame rocketed forth, moving through a wake of lime light that accelerated his Shunpo to a level of higher speed than normal. Appearing beside Akimai, his left hand grasped her neck, forcefully wrenching her off her feet just in time to hurtle her up into the sky with a high powered swing of his arm. As the gust of wind debuting his arrival struck a dazed Shigure full force, Ichigo bent his knees and rocketed upwards, aiming to hit Akimai up in the high altitude where she couldn't evade him.

"_He's coming!_" Akimai thought to herself, finding some way to steady herself in the air even as she inclined against her will. Seeing Ichigo's frame slice through the airwaves, she could faintly see his blade dragging cobalt flames of pure chakra, curtailing and mingling in his lime-hued wake of fullbrought propulsion. "_I won't let him reach me!_"

Rotating her ring blade for a final attempt of a counterattack, she gathered as much chakra as she could muster into the blade, causing it to glow a vibrant silver hue. To her enemy, it would appear like a divine halo, preparing to strike the dark force aiming to run her through. With a defiant shout, she swung the expansive wind coalesced blade downwards in a vertical spin, aiming to bisect him cleanly down the middle.

"**Getsuga**," Ichigo whispered lowly, drawing his Zanpakutou back till its flat side was touching his back. Then, just a handful of meters before the dozen meter wide windmill of cutting power could strike him, he swung his blade forth, creating a column of horizontally aligned cerulean-white light. "**TENSHOU!**"

Akimai's eyes widened exponentially as her entire line of sight was swallowed up by the crescent shaped wave of eviscerating chakra. She watched with horror as her prized ring blade snapped in half, crumbling into smoldering fragments as the blanket of searing light passed over it without a second of resistance. Ironically, it was at this point her body stopped its ascent, and began its fall straight into the arms of death itself.

A shrill scream of pain was overshadowed by the roar of the arc of voluminous light that severed the clouds above her, cutting a swathe through the heavens itself. Pealing away from visibility into the crescent moon in the night sky above, nothing would remain of Ichigo's enemy. Not even ashes would rain down upon his airborne frame.

"You brought this upon yourself," Ichigo said solemnly, swinging his blade to the side, turning to look downward at the sole remaining Akatsuki Kunoichi. "both of you have."

"A-Aki...mai," Shigure whispered out, her eyes widened with horror as her lips quivered. She didn't see any flicker of movement, no substitution, and not even a shred of her existence left. Akimai was gone, and she was next.

Grinding her teeth, her eyes glared in an uncharacteristically vengeful light, bearing down at the rapidly descending Shinigami. Pulling out a pair of scrolls from her shoulder slung rack, she swiftly unwound them in front of her, allowing the paper to spiral around her shoulders down to her fingertips. Without even an utterance, the Summoning Jutsu was initiated, causing a wafting explosion of smoke to be brought into being.

What would appear around her would be a pair of shoulder mounted, five meter long tubular shaped weapons. With cubical shaped chakra batteries segmented into a snail shell shaped rifle ammo rack folded over each shoulder, rectangular barrel ends would be aimed up at Ichigo's rapidly approaching frame, already exuding virulent blue light from their ends. With extended handle hilts in both hands and triggers her forefingers were wrapped around, Shigure practically screamed with anger as she pulled them back.

"**Tsuin Haisu Taiho**!"

Dual gales of pure chakra would be discharged from the prototype weapons, enough force being exerted that the ground around her would distend and quake from its kinetic kickback, causing her knees to buckle but hold firm. The roar of the blistering heat rising upwards to claim its prey with swift vengeance appeared like a spout from a volcanoe, as if it were cobalt flames of the highest temperature.

As Ichigo descended headlong into the maw of expansive light, he thrust his sword downwards with a twisting motion. Glowing alight once more, Ichigo roared out loud the finishing blow to his last combatant, "**Getsuga Kusaishou!**"

In that moment, a manifestation of Zangetsu's blade expanded to the height of ten meters and a width of five meters. It rushed downwards, shrieking audibly as it tore apart the offender's attack, and boring into her without mercy. Not even a scream would be managed as the victim would be eviscerated and incinerated instantly, the light piercing the earth to dig her dusted remains a deep cavernous grave.

Finally, the battle had come to an end.

* * *

"It's over," Neji breathed out with relief. What they all had witnessed could have been seen clearly, even in the middle of the starry night or with the aid of Doujutsu. The one known as Ichigo Kurosaki had soundly defeated two Akatsuki members using his own power, and did so with a spectacular visual manner. To someone like Neji, it defied all comprehension of what he originally believed Ichigo to be, even after he had tried to explain his origins.

"_Perhaps he really is a Shinigami_," Neji considered inwardly. As he saw the massive burning pyre that was Ichigo's chakra dim, he could make out his presence head in their direction. Furrowing his brows as he relaxed his ocular jutsu, he mentally noted with certainty, "_this changes things entirely..._"

"He really beat them?" Moegi inquired aloud, trying to confirm what she felt and what she was told.

Sniffing the air, Kiba smiled as he unmounted Akamaru, scratching the Ninja Hound behind the ears to encourage a happy bark from his pet. "Yeah, I can only pick up his scent in the wind. There isn't any traces of those other two from what I can tell."

"And his Chakra is lowering output enough that my beetles are relaxing," Shino noted with a sigh of relief. Beads of sweat caking his visage from the exertion of suppressing the hive within his body. "I'm glad that he's not going wild anymore."

As Ichigo drew nearer to their group, Hinata could only stare at the coalescence of chakra that was the orange-haired young man. She had been in awe with how much confidence he had in taking on his enemies. No matter how many tactics the two Akatsuki used against him, he kept on fighting and triumphed, all to protect them.

"He's...so much like-" Hinata began to whisper, disengaging her Byakugan. In that same moment, Ichigo appeared before her, bringing a lime-hued gust of wind to billow her form. This caused her eyes to open wide and her mouth to hang agape, her face directly a couple of feet away from his. "-h-h-h..."

"Uh?" Ichigo furrowed his brows, finding his sudden arrival looking straight at a flabbergasted pupiless eyed girl. Her dark, cobalt hair shimmered in the moonlight casting upon her fair complexioned visage, creating a mesmerising aura of beauty about her. Despite being a man not actively observing the opposite sex, he couldn't help but admire the Kunoichi's appearance for a few seconds.

As the awkwardness settled over the entire collection of Shinobi, Ichigo broke himself out of the reverie, clearing his throat. "I...took care of them, if you get my meaning..."

"Yes, we know," Neji answered curtly, rolling his eyes as Hinata meekly backed up to take cover behind her team. "we sensed your Chakra. I had no idea that you possessed power of such magnitude."

"Eh, I get that a lot," Ichigo nonchalantly sniffed, rubbing his nose as he smiled halfway. "though no one's ever used that term on Spirit Energy before-"

"But you shouldn't discount your enemies," Neji interrupted sharply, narrowing his lavender hued eyes at Ichigo's confused hazel orbs. "I could sense by the ones you fought that they weren't any of the Akatsuki I recognize. Compared to Pain and those who led the second attack on our Village, they are by far the weakest of their ranks. With their knowledge they will have assuredly acquired from this battle they will have an advantage in the battles to come."

"What? So you expect me to hide or say sorry, hope they don't exact vengeance on me?" Ichigo snorted derisively, crossing his arms over his chest with an incline of his chin at the Hyuga Shinobi. "I don't start fights I don't think I can win. Nor do I run away from them before they're ended. I'm going to destroy the Akatsuki, and I'm going to kill Pain!"

"I'm not saying you shouldn't," Neji countered, causing Ichigo's form to bristle with confusion and partial relief. "on the contrary, knowing just how strong and skilled you are puts me in the position of obligation. You won't be fighting your battles alone, at least, not without guidance."

Everyone, including Ichigo, had their attention perked instantly. The leader of the three squads was promising help to the Shinigami?

"ALRIGHT!" Rock Lee fist pumped, visibly looking ecstatic at the prospect of aiding the swordsman in black. "finally! We can take the fight to the Akatsuki and avenge Guy Sensei!"

"Hold on, Lee!" Ten-Ten urged, raising her hands up to defuse the welling up figurative Spring of Youth bursting forth from her teammate. Turning her head towards Neji's direction, she walked around to his side and placed her fists on her hips, staring at him hard. "Neji, can we really afford to help this guy? After all, we did tell everyone back at HQ we'd meet up with them ASAP after we took this last Shinbu Patrol down, who we still have in our custody!"

"I've already decided," Neji said promptly, turning an impassive gaze to lock onto Ten-Ten's incredulous brown eyes. "to send you, Shino, Kiba, and Udon to escort them back for interrogation. Between the four of you, you should be able to keep them sedated and navigate back without warding any attention."

"Wh-Wha-?!" Ten-Ten began to stumble back, arms halfway raised to flail only to find herself interrupted once again.

"We have been fighting a losing battle, Ten-Ten," Neji said frankly, eyes briefly looking away before returning in a sweeping manner among his comrades. "between the numerical advantage and the Akatsuki's own ranks, it's only a matter of time before they strike another critical blow. And after that, there will be NO Village to rebuild, and that will be the end of that.

"We need his help," Neji returned his gaze back at Ichigo's direction, "he's just the edge that we need over the Akatsuki. Being an unknown and wielding so much power will be the thing that they won't be counting on. Especially when we back him up and point him in the right direction to inflict the most damage."

Letting out a groan, Ten-Ten dragged a hand over her face, stretching it out with begrudging acceptance. "Fine, you win. I'm assuming between Kiba's tracking, Shino's method of subduing the Shinbu, Udon's Earth Release and my trap skills that we should manage even without Byakugan?"

"Glad you see the bigger picture," Neji said in a smug tone, a slight smile working its way across his lips.

"Whatever," Ten-Ten grated out with a scowl, quickly vanishing as she pointed to those just assigned by Neji to head back to the camp.

Before they would go, brief farewells given to different squadmates. Hinata and Udon being the foremost of attention by their friends.

"I guess I'm going to head out now," Udon said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head, mustering up a brave smile at his two childhood friends.

"Don't worry about us!" Konohamaru said with a cheerful grin, sticking up a thumb towards his friend confidently. "We'll be alright. Just make sure you keep those guys from running away!"

"I-I will," Udon nodded shakily. Before he could utter something to Moegi, he found himself pulled into a tight hug, briefly causing him to exhale forcefully with surprise. "M-Moegi?"

"Be safe, okay?" Moegi whispered in his ear, releasing his body slowly, smiling sadly in his direction.

Staring back with brief awe, Udon shook his head to clear his mind, smiling back with a definite nod agreeance. "I will."

"I guess this is it?" Hinata, meanwhile, said her farewells in a soft yet more confident tone than the young Udon. Her gaze, her friends would notice, held a far-off gaze in a sense that she wasn't entirely looking them in the eye. They could take a guess for what she was looking for but would never find. "take care, will you?"

"Hey, that's what we should be saying to you!" Kiba barked back, laughing to his aforementioned words.

"We'll be fine as long as Ten-Ten is with us. I'm not entirely confident in Kiba's animal instinct, but I am with her level-headedness," Shino concurred, lightly prodding Kiba's button enough to cause him to scowl at his nonchalant and hidden stoic face.

"What was that?! Are you saying I'm not dependable?!" Kiba snarled at Shino with upraised, vein-pulsating fists.

"Hardly," Shino dissuaded, "but I know you sometimes let your gut and your nose dictate more actions than your head should."

"Why you-!"

"Hey! You two can fight on the way back!" Ten-Ten called back over her shoulder, already trotting back to gather their things with Udon.

"Tch," Kiba defused, finding that the mission priority overruling his temper. Pocketing his hands in his dark hued jacket, Kiba cast a smile back at Hinata and a farewell nod before walking back with Shino, "later, Hinata."

"Bye," Hinata said with a faint smile, swiftly turning into an expression of silhouetted solemness. Turning her back on her departing friends, she joined her cousin and the newly reformed Team Neji. Her lavender hued eyes locked onto her surrogate brother's, sighing with resignation as she presented herself to him. "I'm ready."

"Good," Neji nodded, motioning to the others to take point in the designated positions. With a brief kick off the ground, all of them began to sprint out of the desolated woodscape, back towards the rest of the remaining part of the Nara Clan's homeland. "we're going to need to move fast. A contact of ours, from one of our latest transactions, came from a town not but about half a day's journey southeast of our position."

"Right!" Ichigo nodded with understanding, falling into the pace on Neji's left while Moegi was on his right.

"Just out of curiosity," Moegi quickly quipped, turning her gaze to the straightforward directive expression of Neji's. "why didn't you send Konohamaru and I along with Udon? I know we're better than we were in the past, but in comparison to you guys-"

"Your Sensory Skills are invaluable, and a good fallback in the event Hinata or I cannot employ Doujutsu," Neji responded smoothly, quickly returning to a blunt tone as he finished. "plus, had I sent Konohamaru with Udon, he would have likely snuck back first chance he got to tag along with us. Keeping you here might create the perfect leash for him to not do anything reckless while we're in a bind."

"Ahhhh," Moegi sighed, a giggle expelling from her with a smile of knowing donning upon her face. "makes sense to me."

* * *

**Impatience.**

That was the only word that could accurately describe the bundle of nerves inside of the Substitute Shinigami. Even moving at top speed, these Shinobi's speed paled in comparison to the maximum strides he could be taking using Fullbring or Shunpo. The repetition of movement was only broken up by the occasional queries passed his way by Moegi, the cheeriest and most inquisitive bunch.

He could only breathe out thankfully upon seeing the city's limits quickly approach them, having taken several breaks along the way that indeed take up to half a day to reach this point. Aside of eating some spare rations from the generous comrades of his, he still felt famished on going an entire day without food. An audible groan from his stomach perked up his company's ears, causing him to groan with embarrassment.

Skidding to a halt nearly a dozen meters outside of the town's gates, Neji noted the lack of guards at its entrance. Looking over at Ichigo's appearance, his brows briefly furrowed, turning back towards the objective prior to speaking. "Is it possible to obscure your face?"

"Jealous?" Ichigo quipped with a snarky wry grin, causing the Hyuga to twitch with annoyance.

"It is possible that the Shinbu Corps have been notified and are aware of your facial appearance. It'd be best if you could maintain a semblance of a low profile," Neji explained in a blunt tone.

"That means we'll be hiding our forehead protectors too?" Moegi inquired intuitively.

"Precisely," Neji nodded, removing the headband long enough to replace it with a simple brown sash kept within the folds of his kimono top. By the time he had finished fastening it over his vaguely visible tattoo, all of the others had finished taking off their headbands and placing them in their shuriken pouches respectively.

Sighing, Ichigo knew he should play along, finding the use of subtlety to be crucial in this world. Grasping the back portion of linen behind his kosode's uniquely designed collar, he distributed a pulse of emerald light across it, pulling at the now pliant material. With a single arching motion the elastic piece of linen had transformed into a dark hood, effectively obscuring his iconic facial features and orange spiky tresses in a shaded silhouette.

Nodding with acceptance, Neji took the lead to enter the town. They were briefly stopped and questioned by the local guard of their business and former place of destination. Neji had professionally fabricated a cover story, most likely one he had used in a prior mission, to excuse their appearances and their timely arrival. After a few more obviously pointless questions later, they were able to enter the town.

A bustling, if not slightly compact metropolis, it was certainly a kind of town Ichigo had never seen before. With much more modern affinities than the Soul Society, what with light poles and electric lines rushing between buildings and the outstanding water tower in the distance, it seemed that technology was more leaning towards what he'd expect of the Material World. But unlike Karakura Town, each building looked like a mismatched height aligned landscape, some housing and businesses being as low as a story to as high as ten, each decorated with various colors of tiles, bricks, and molding.

Though the longer he walked into the town, the more he began to understand the affects of living in a world run by Pain.

With crowds of people moving to and fro, he expected boisterous shouts and laughter among stalls or restaurants open for walk-in consumption or purchases. Instead, he saw native citizens with bowed heads, moving quickly from one place to another, only talking in hushed tones indoors. Shinbu Corps seemed to be perched on various rooftops, watching the populace with sharp and critical eyes, while others were concealed within shaded areas bordering alleyways.

It was then that Ichigo truly felt a sense of oppression within the settlement.

"I've seen more cheer in a graveyard," Ichigo whispered lowly, turning his hooded head to and fro to take in the sights, weaving in and around various passerbiers.

"The only ones with heads held up high are opportunists or mercenaries," Neji remarked without turning his head, leading them through the rushing crowds, though most were already giving them a wider berth due to their peculiar images. "it is why I didn't suggest changing our appearances entirely. We're not top priority for the majority of the Shinbu Corps, and you've just arrived less than a day ago. As long as we don't do anything unwarranted, they'll just think we're another band of freelance agents."

"This place feels more like a prison than it does an actual town," Ichigo noted, spotting a forlorn expression upon an elderly man whom he deftly maneuvered around.

"In a world run by the Akatsuki, would you expect it to be any different?" Neji inquired rhetorically.

"Fair enough," Ichigo nodded, casting his glance across the crowd moving opposite direction of them. A single, upright individual caught his eye, moving through the sea of downtrodden people without care. He was cloaked in black and had a hood drawn up, obscuring most of his face. The only thing that he saw was a sideglance, long gaze of a black-prong, crimson eye. Just meeting it with his instantly gave him chills, forcing him to turn away. Strangely enough, as soon as he cast his gaze back where the hooded figure was, he had vanished without a trace.

"_Who the Hell was that?_" Ichigo thought to himself, furrowing his gaze back forward, blinking with confusion.

Neji's glance quickly perceived that Ichigo had felt something amiss. He too could feel something upon the edge of his senses, something that made his gut curdle with familiarity. Swinging an arm up to erect his forefingers, he motioned subtly in a way that he knew the two at the farthest back of their assembled cohort would see. In a flickering motion, Hinata and Rock Lee would disappear via Shunshin.

"_I hope our instincts are wrong this time around,_" Neji thought, regarding himself and the Shinigami in tow, still looking concerned by the focused gaze he had sweeping to and fro from the crowd.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," A pleasant voice was heard not but a handful meters to Neji's right, halting their advance through the street. His lavender eyes caught sight of a doorless shop, with very little lights save for a few candles suspended by hanging lanterns. Pottery of various sorts were set up on the counter, with a young man looking to be a handful of years younger than him, but very familiar. "if you could perhaps take the time out of such a busy day, I'd be more than happy to show you my _extravagant _wares."

"_Extravagant?_" Ichigo thought with a barely concealed snort, following Neji's lead with the rest into the shaded interior of the shop, out of the Sun to see a number of simple carved and painted pieces of clay on the counter. "_I'm not expert, but that's just about as dull as you can get. I'd hate to see what he calls petty if this is his best..._"

"I don't think the _taxes _placed on them would be acceptable to my _treasury_," Neji said in purposefully enunciated phrases, as if they held a hidden meaning.

In turn, the grey-haired ponytailed boy smiled thinly, pushing a pair of dark rimmed glasses up to refract a foreboding light behind the lenses. "It is good to see you return, Neji Hyuga."

"Believe me, this isn't a social call," Neji said curtly, quickly turning his impassive glance into an unsettling glare. "if it were up to me, I would make sure our visits with your employer and us were in the rarity."

"That hurts," The young man laughed, a cold and lifeless one that caused Ichigo's own brows to twitch unnervingly. Waving his arms nonchalantly, he cast a toothy smile in Ichigo's direction. "I'm assuming if it isn't for you, then it has something to do with the big guy next to you."

"My associate will only speak to your employer," Neji insisted, furrowing his glare further to discourage prying by the store associate. "is he here or should we move on?"

"Oh, he's here," He said in a disarming raise of both hands, nodding his head back towards the stairs leading to the one story tall store's cellar. "I'd ask you leave the children outside so the adults can do business, but you probably knew I was going to ask that."

"Konohamaru, Moegi," Neji said swiftly, turning his gaze to look over his shoulder at the two Genin. "wait out here."

"Can we get something to eat?! I'm starvin'!" Konohamaru groaned out, wrapping his arms around a now audibly growling gut of his.

Rolling her eyes, Moegi pointed to a restaurant across the street, keeping her gaze locked with Neji's responsibly. "I'm going to take Mr. Starvin' with me to fill his empty tank. We'll be nearby when you need us."

"Alright," Neji nodded with acceptance, returning his attention back at the nameless store clerk. "lead the way."

Turning on his heels, the associate grabbed one of the hanging lanterns, lighting the way down the stairway. Deceivingly what looked at first like a straightforward staircase quickly turned into a spiral stairwell, transforming from simple cheap wood to brick laden surface. Even the stairs themselves shifted to a much more solid material than that of the first twelve steps that they walked upon. After what seemed like a hundred creaky footsteps later, the attendant led them into an eerily lit laboratory.

Vials and glass containers were piled on various shelves. Organs, mutated creatures, and specimens of grotesque origins were on several tables, most of them resembling operating kinds. Bubbling tanks held vaguely lit bodies, suspended by vile preservatives, kept for a number of reasons most likely nefarious. Nauseous fumes and chemicals could be smelled by both Neji and Ichigo alike, causing the latter to furrow his nose at the barrage of unwelcome scents.

At the farthest end there was a hunched over individual, wrapped in a burgundy hued silk hooded robe. He was upon a large desk, spread out with a number of books and papers, written with personal notes and equations for various reasons. In fact, it looked as if he was writing something without even paying it thought while casually looking through a large book with his left sleeve wound hand.

Stopping a good ten meters away, the attendant kneeled down on one knee and fist respectively. "Guests in the form of a stranger and a Konoha Shinobi are here."

"Thank you, K-7," A silvery voice responded, waving his book reading hand to the side without even turning around. "you may return to the shop."

"Understood," The designated 'K-7' responded dutifully, rising and wordlessly shimmering out of view.

This left the three alone in the dark and eerie laboratory.

"What brings you here this time, Neji?" The hooded man turned his head slightly over the left, revealing a slitted yellow eye that pierced through the dark overcast of his hood. "come for requests of more equipment? A trade for something valuable? Or is it information that you seek?"

"The latter," Neji concurred with a curt nod, raising his right hand to wave in Ichigo's direction. "this man, Ichigo Kurosaki, is what you may call a revolutionary. He has the same cause as Konoha does."

"Survival against a force stronger than you realize?" The informant queried in a sly, jesting tone laced aroudn his words. "How cute."

Baring his teeth, Ichigo took a step forward, pulling back the fringes of his hood to reveal his spiky tressed head. He growled as he took a few steps closer to the hunched over, creepy individual, fists balled up at an audible intensity. "Listen here, you bastard! I ain't running away from anything. Far from it, the Akatsuki should be running away from me!"

Just a mere meter before he could wrap his hands around the man's neck, a succinct hissing sound halted him in his tracks. Gulping lowly, Ichigo's slowly looked down, stifling a gasp escaping his lips upon what he saw. A pale-scaled, red-eyed snake slid out from underneath the bottom recesses of the cloak, rising up to be exactly eye level with the Shinigami. A forked tongue tasted the air, mouth spreading apart to reveal venom-laced saliva connecting to crimson fangs partially unfolded.

The resonating killing intent was enough that Ichigo took the steps he did forward back where he was, finding himself already profusely sweating across the brow. "_W-What the Hell is this...feeling?!_"

"Akatsuki. That's not a name I expected a stranger to say so casually," The hooded man turned around, fully exposing his dark silhouetted visage towards the two of them. With a beige-hued, scaled hand rubbing a page of the book he was reading, the other stroked the side of the snake that came from underneath his cloak. His face looked like a ghastly hybrid of human and reptilian features, with pure white tresses messily caking over his brow lines and crown. A pair of dark rimmed glasses, similar to his attendant's, emanated a sinister refracting glare of light as he smiled at Ichigo with nothing but utter fascination. "alright. You've piqued my interested, Ichigo Kurosaki. Let us talk about the Akatsuki."

* * *

**A/N**: And done! Another chapter I thoroughly enjoyed writing out is done. Hope you all liked it :D'

I hoped you all enjoyed the battle. I worked really hard to get the motions of Akimai right, and make her a justifiably challenging opponent for Ichigo to fight. Same goes for Shigure, but for obviously different reasons. Tried to both give them their dues before they get axed, cause I don't see them getting justice if they left with their lives, not after what they were trying to accomplish to start out with XD

And the big reveal of Kabutorchimaru (or just Kabuto, lol) has been revealed! What are his aims and ties with the Konoha Resistance, and how does he plan to help Ichigo? Any hidden agendas or motives behind this coldblooded, glasses-toting menace? Join me in the next, Reap the Pain, to find out! ^^

Also, please leave a comment in the Review section below detailing your thoughts about the above Chapter. I'd love to hear feedback to see how I'm doing and if it is at all still enjoyable as it has started out to be :)

Extra Treats!: More Translations! Hope you all enjoy them ;)

Shigure's Jutsu:

**Waken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu: **Ring Blade Shadow Clone Technique

**Bunshin Daibakuha:** Great Shadow Clone Explosion

**Ninpo, Ami Kiaida no Jutsu:** Ninja Art, Web Spirit Break Technique (Wasn't named in the Chapter, though I decided to give it a name ^^)

Shigure's Summon Jutsu:

-**Tetsukou Shoudo no Jutsu:** Iron Rainfall Scorched Earth Technique

-**Shihara Jutsu:** Death Penalty Field Technique

-**Tsuin Hara Taiho:** Twin Abolishing Cannons

Ichigo's Techs:

-**Getsuga Tenshou:** Moon Fang Heaven Piercer

-**Getsuga Kusaishou:** Moon Fang Horizon Piercer

-**Senkou:** Rupture

Hinata's Techs:

-**Shugohakke Rokujuyon Sho: **Protection of the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms

Neji's Techs:

-**Hakkeshō Kaiten:** Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven


	4. Enter the Avenger

**Reap the Pain **

* * *

**Chapter 4 - Enter the Avenger**

* * *

"_Sure is noisy around here,_" Shinbu Captain, Ryoshi, said lowly to himself. Having been inspecting since the Sun's early rise, the head of the Shinbu operatives here in Takanaka Town had grown weary from boredom. Even with all the downtrodden citizens being mingled by the passerbiers, there had hardly been any noteworthy faces to check the Bingo Book or any disturbances to look into.

Leaning forward from his leaning spot in an alley, he noted a handful of strangers coming through the proximate street. Among them were what he perceived as was mercenaries, though the presence of two children made him suspect something else. Not only that, but his senses felt something off with the one wearing a hood and carrying a bandaged bound sword on his back.

"Shinobi Mercenaries? I wonder..." Ryoshi muttered to himself, his own cloaked form pushing off the building wall to confront them.

It was then at that moment, he felt a hand grasp his right shoulder.

"Don't," A grated voice said lowly.

"Who-?!" Ryoshi began to say, turning his head around, eyes widening at what he saw. A man draped in black, with a hood obscuring his facial features. The only real thing outstanding to the Shinbu Captain were a pair of gleaming, sinister red eyes glaring at him. "y-you?!"

"Pull your men back to the outer city limits if you want them spared," He spoke smoothly, eyes narrowing with emphasis. "they're _my _prey."

"U-Understood," The Shinbu Captain gulped down his immediate apprehension. Turning to face him fully, he bowed briefly before leaping up to inform his subordinates. "_this is bad. If the Akatsuki are here hunting...I better pull my men back out of the city entirely!_"

* * *

"**Let's talk about the Akatsuki.**"

As the man in red spoke these words, Ichigo couldn't help but feel repulsed by the man's visible features. He looked like something out of a horror movie: scales intertwined with flesh, slitted pupils, a smile that caused him to shudder, and crimson lines in the angles of a serpent that he truly embodied.

"_This guy...he's more disgusting than any Arrancar or Hollow I've met. That Killing Intent before was so vivid that I'm still on edge around him_," Ichigo thought with narrowed eyes, his look of disgust hardening into one of visible contempt. "_you're a real bastard, aren't you?_"

"Oh, where are my manners?" The man said with a false humored laugh. Placing his right hand's forefingers upon the bridge of his nose, he adjusted his spectacles to catch a gleam of menacing refractive lab light. With a pale grin, he truly looked maddening in the Substitute Shinigami's eyes. "my name is..._Kabutomaru_. A researcher of all things Jutsu and cultivator of many useful forms of interest."

"Yeah, really nice to meet ya," Ichigo groaned sarcastically.

"With introductions out of the way," Neji intervened, not paying Ichigo's verbiage any heed as he kept a professional tone. "Ichigo would probably like to know the hierarchy of the Akatsuki currently in power and possibly their locations."

"Yeah, that," Ichigo said with a sniff, crossing his arms over his chest he couldn't help but cast a sideways glare at Neji for his interruption.

"Ah yes, reasonable questions from a reasonable individual," Kabutomaru spoke in an even tone, his smile loosening a fraction when he considered the words sent to him by Neji. Waving both hands in a emphasized fashion, the pale-scaled serpent from his cloak hissed audibly as it lowered its arrow-shaped head to be next to his hooded one. "but you should know, I am not one to part with valuable information _without _reason."

"I didn't expect you to," Neji said curtly, narrowing his pupiless eyes with harsh emphasis. "what do you want as payment?"

Kabutomaru couldn't help but spread his grin in delight. The open-endedness of Neji's inquiry felt like a great leap of freedom for him to explore. Turning his lense-covered eyes to gaze hungrily at Ichigo, he reveled at the discomfort he instilled by simply looking in his direction.

After a conceivably long period of thought was made, the snake man finally spoke his desires. "I would like only a few questions answered. That and...some blood from our esteemed guest, Mr. Kurosaki."

"My...blood?!" Ichigo inquired in a horror stricken, borderline enraged tone.

"Come now, I don't need much," Kabutomaru placated, waving his hands around in a dismissive manner. "just a few drops. I doubt you'll be missing them."

"Forget it!" Ichigo snarled, raising up a balled up fist to prove his point. "I'm not letting you jab any freakin' needle in me! I can answer any question you want but my bodily fluids stay inside of me!"

Sighing, Kabutomaru pressed up his spectacles higher along the bridge of his nose. This allowed a glint of refracting light to glimmer and fade to show his yellow eyes stare in disappointment. "Then you won't get any information from me. What I hold is more valuable than you realize or yet to comprehend. Deny me a simple favor and you can leave the way you came."

"Why you-!"

"Let him have it, Ichigo," Neji said in a firm voice, effectively halting Ichigo's continued verbal outrage. "I'll make sure he doesn't get much. After all, it wouldn't do well for a valued source of information and data to vanish, would it?"

"Neji-!" Ichigo began to growl, not liking the idea of his body being pricked or jabbed in any way.

"Let me be clear," Neji hissed back, turning his head to glare at Ichigo's indignant stare. From the way his impassive visage projected it, he seemed to have taken Ichigo's attitude in stride as if he was being growled at by a child. "this is the only one who can possibly give you accurate intel on the whereabouts and the potential weaknesses of your enemies. If you don't chance it now, then you will might as well walk into a death trap. Brute strength hadn't defeated them in the past and it certainly won't help you using a failed tactic."

Ichigo bowed his head, gritting his teeth as audibly as his fists were clenched. After a handful of seconds, the Substitute Shinigami mulled over his options and realized he had few to choose from. Either move through an unfamiliar world without a plan or take a risk to have an upper hand.

"Fine," Ichigo said in a begrudging tone, eyes spitefully lashing out at Neji before turning back to Kabutomaru. "I'll go along with your offer. Just make sure I'm the one giving you my blood."

"I don't mind that at all," Kabutomaru said in a nonchalant tone. Reaching within his left sleeve, his right hand pulled out what looked like a shot with a glass vial cylinder. Tossing it underhandedly, he watched Ichigo catch it with a stern visage, causing him to chuckle. "please put in as much as you want. The more the better."

"You're lucky you're getting any, sicko," Ichigo snarled. Looking at the vial, he couldn't help but sneer at the precise instrument for extracting his lifeblood. Inwardly he could only wonder what this thing could want with his blood. It's not human's so it couldn't be applicable to what passes as science around.

"_Ah well, he can have a ball with it_," Ichigo thought dryly.

Sucking in air sharply as he raised the needle just above his arm. Having had donated blood in the past at his school and taken health class, it sure paid off to know where to jab it in and not do it incorrectly. With a wincing flinch, the needle pierced his flesh, allowing him to take a modicum amount of blood.

Pulling it out gingerly, he grimaced at seeing the half full vial of crimson liquid slosh within its container. Tossing it underhandedly back to Kabutomaru, he immediately fixated his glare at his pleased yellow eyes. "Alright. You got what you wanted. I'll answer any damn questions you have so long as you answer mine!"

"My-My, no need to get testy," Kabutomaru remarked back in a chiding tone. Upon placing the vial and needle back within the hidden confines of his sleeve, his hand would linger awhile longer within the hidden silk confines. Withdrawing forth, both Ichigo and Neji would see what appeared to be a handful of orange backed blank cards with Kanji lettering within a white circle saying 'Shinobi'. "these will help you out."

"What the heck are those? Trading cards?" Ichigo inquired in a dry tone, crossing his arms and cocking his head up to express his unimpressment.

"Ninja Info Cards," Neji corrected, his eyes fixating upon the tools in question. "they store data by infusing Chakra of the user into it. Only the one who's the owner can open its contents at any time."

"Magnificently simple tools, aren't they?" Kabutomaru asked rhetorically, flashing the blank cards in front of them. He waved them in a taunting fashion, plainly indicated by the widespread toothy grin emblazoning his sickening yellow hued visage. "for every question you answer me, I'll unlock a card. Sounds simple enough, yes?"

"Sure," Ichigo responded curtly, unfolding his arms promptly. "ask away, creepy."

"How did you get _here_?" Kabutomaru began, then quickly chuckled in afterthought, raising his left hand's forefinger to wag in a chiding manner. "and no, I don't mean how you got here in my laboratory. I mean how you gained access to this _world_. Try to be as specific as possible, if you please."

As Neji would narrow his eyes at Kabutomaru, Ichigo couldn't help but let his facial expressions indicate shock. He knew now, but his reaction alone, would help confirm this entity's suspicions concrete or not. But how he would know something like that, he could only wonder.

"There's a place called the Dangai Precipice World. It's a rift between the Material World and the Soul Society, a place where spirits dwell who look like me," Ichigo answered honestly, albeit looking nervous at explaining it to someone who knew so much without any prior encounter with him. "there was a hole that kind of opened in front of me and I...uh...fell. Last thing I know I'm falling from the sky and I land straight into this place."

"Hmmmmm," Kabutomaru hummed thoughtfully, twiddling with the cards in his possession, mulling over what was told.

"Alright, fork it over," Ichigo made a beckoning gesture with his right hand.

An azure glow emitted from one of Kabutomaru's digits, causing the middlemost card to shudder with a brief vibrancy. Tossing it forward, he'd allow Ichigo to catch it deftly between his own digits.

Turning the card around, Ichigo saw a brief geographical layout of where they were and where the target was probably going to be. This was indicated by the prior location in crimson while the area of the target was in purple. This was located within a highlighted blue country titled as "Rain Country", covering a sizable expanse but not as much as the other bordering countries upon the continent. Flipping the card, he could see a vague series of stats underneath a rainbow-hued visage, wrapping him in a mysterious silhouette with only familiar violet-hued rings for eyes.

"Pain," Ichigo muttered evenly, already feeling his blood boil while looking at the man's info card.

"Correct," Kabutomaru nodded. "as Leader of the Akatsuki, intel is limited in his origins and his exact limitations. I'm sure your allies of the Leaf would be more capable of listing out his strengths and weaknesses than I can. All I will say is that he rarely leaves the confines of Amegakure."

"Got it," Ichigo nodded, pocketing the card into the inner fold of his kosode.

"Next question," Kabutomaru shuffled his cards in sync with his query, his smile never waning. "what exactly are you? Don't try denying the fact that you're a spirit, I know you aren't human just by your mere presence-"

"Tell me how," Ichigo levelly commanded, eyes scowling at his informant. "ever since I got here, I only have run into two people who knew I wasn't human. They were Akatsuki, from what I've gathered."

"_They've already made contact with him? Interesting_," Kabutomaru briefly widened his eyes in surprise before narrowing them once again. A hideously long tongue slithered out of his mouth briefly to lick wonderingly across his chin shortly before being sucked back in. A low chuckle emanated from his throat before he'd speak again. "tell me. Were the Akatsuki in question a pair of Kunoichi, one with a ring blade and the other with a number of summoning scrolls on her person?"

"Oi!" Ichigo pointed his hand towards Kabutomaru, fixating an upraised brow-lined gaze at the snake robed man. "that's two questions, pal! I get two cards for answering both questions!"

"How astute of you, oh sly one," Kabutomaru shook his head, finding himself outwitted on such a trivial manner. None-the-less, he couldn't have cared less, tossing two cards towards Ichigo underhandedly. To Ichigo's chagrin, as soon as the geographical layout shifted to mugshots, they were detailed mugshots of the two women he had slain not but last night. "judging from the expression on your face, I'm guessing those two have met their untimely ends by your hands?"

"Yeah..." Ichigo said faintly, a hint of regret fell across his eyes as he saw the faces of the two beautiful women. After a handful of long seconds of silence, the young swordsman placed the two cards where he stashed the other. Returning his gaze back to the information broker, he assumed a more stoic visage as he explained. "from where I come from, I'm called a Shinigami. We're guides for the souls who are lingering in the living world. Beyond that, I'm no expert, but we kind of use special swords to cleave spiritual beings called _Hollows _to cleanse them of their taint and allow them to pass on. That's about it, really..."

"A monitored organization of spirits ferreting the dead and controlling darker spirits? Fascinating!" Kabutomaru stroked his chin, already coming up with a number of conjectures for what Ichigo's information means. Moments later, he would clear his throat before returning to the conversation. "to answer your question regarding the how I know, let's just say I can sense things few can. Because I have Sensory abilities beyond that of ordinary Shinobi I can tell what is living and what isn't. Example, the Chakra within a Shinobi or any ordinary human is the equivalent of a standard trio-interval beat of sounding similar to hands clapping against each other. A Spirit, of any other kind, sounds like an inversion in the direction and tone of a living being's Chakra, gonging loudly like a drum in comparison to a human being's. There may be a few exceptions to the rule, but that is what I felt the moment you were walking down the steps, Mr. Kurosaki."

"_Damn! Here I thought I was suppressing my power and all I am doing is making it more easy for guys like him to sense me,_" Ichigo chastised himself inwardly, balling his fists instinctively at being found out so easily.

"Now then," Kabutomaru continued, flashing out his orange cards just beneath his eyes, chuckling as he would inquire further. "to make this go faster I'm going to ask three questions at once and then give you three cards for you to examine. Once I've done so a second time, you'll have all the info you could desire regarding the Akatsuki. Sound fair?"

"Sure," Ichigo narrowed his eyes, practically growling with conclusion. "let's get this over with already!"

* * *

**Trepidation. **

It was an emotion that Hinata was all too familiar with. For as long as she could remember it had paralyzed her as a child, making her weak and inhibiting her in ways that caused her to loathe herself. It was only thanks to a young boy, whom her admiration and love had been genuinely captured by that she overcame the chains her own fear created within her. When he died, she became lost in a daze, unable to know how to overcome old fears and tremblings.

Had it not been her memories of him telling her never to give up, she would have never found a way to embrace her trepidation. Instead of rejecting it or being overrun by it, she now let it strengthen her. As long as she could feel fear, she knew that she had to do something about it and become stronger from it.

"_That's what you would do, right, Naruto_?" Hinata thought with a sad smile, faint tears welling up within her pupiless eyes as they looked out into the horizon of the cityscape.

"Hinata!" Lee's voice called out to Hinata from behind, bringing her back to reality, as his feet would deftly tap but a handful of meters behind her. "something is not right. Those Shinbu Shinobi are withdrawing from their posts!"

"What?!" Hinata spun around to confirm this, seeing Lee's stoically serious expression confirm his words.

"It only happened a minute ago when I was looking for _that _presence Neji felt and had us check out," He informed her with minor waves of his hands to emphasize their current mission.

"I'll see what's going on," Hinata nodded with affirmation. With a brief inhale, the young Hyuga's brow lines became covered with protruding veins, her pupiless eyes now dilated and focused; the telltale signs of a Byakugan being activated.

"_Lee's right,_" Hinata thought, turning her head subtly to the left and right, her omnidirectional Doujutsu enabling her to see nearly the entire city at once. Ignoring the weak pulses of light that made up the average populace, she could tell the Shinbu Shinobi apart easily, seen as bright azure torches of movement. They all were coordinated and were moving out of duty, not of panic. "_they're being ordered to move out? But why? Who could have given such a or-_"

Hinata's trail of thought was interrupted by a sudden whisp of movement upon the rooftop.

"Lee, behind you!" Hinata quickly shouted, turning upon her heels moments before he could, enabling her to see the assailant.

He was garbed in a midnight-hued hooded cloak, covering the majority of his figure save for his exposed hands and sandaled feet. Gliding through the air in the middle of a leap she could make out the accented bodily angle he was making that he was in the middle of an attack with his feet.

"Ngh!" Lee grunted with pain, his left forearm barely deflecting the leaping kick away from his face, but still forced him to tumble back a dozen meters across the rooftop. Skidding in a tumble, he'd quickly flip himself back up and rise to a eager pose. "that was a good kick, to send me flying even when I blocked!"

"And your reflexes haven't dulled a bit. Good," The Shinobi spoke back in a hauntingly familiar, guttural tone. As the morning Sun began to dim upon the horizon, ominous clouds rolled over, creating a blanket of darkness that furthered the silhouette of the nostalgic figure of their past. It would only become all the more painfully clear when a pair of glowing crimson eyes with commas dancing around his pupils that pierced through the veil of shadows that hid most of his familiar visage. "maybe you'll make things more interesting than those I've hunted in the past two years."

"S-Sasuke!" Hinata whispered harshly, sliding her body into a defensive stance immediately.

"Hinata," Sasuke directed his voice in her direction, a hint of a smug grin spread across his shadow covered face. "I know that your brother is out of arm's reach. This time we won't have any interference from him, now will we?"

"Don't forget about me!" Lee shouted back in earnest, his feet kicking off the ground in a dynamic charge. With only a handful of meters away from the stoically still Sasuke, the proud disciple of Guy would leap up into the air, spiraling around to create a whirlwind effect around his person. Howling wind would circulate around the spinning Lee, his foot swinging down like a windmill pendulum, his voice shouting far above the ruckus his movement made. "LEAF HURRICANE!"

With foresight that could only be caught within the periphery of the Sharingan's vision, Sasuke bent his head down just in the nick of time. Feeling the foot flourish through the air above his hood-covered head, Sasuke swung out a left hand, already crackling with electricity. As he spun around to catch the opposing drawn back ankle of Lee's, Sasuke's extended free hand thrust in Hinata's direction hurtling a number of **Chidori Senbons **at her.

The female Hyuga wove her hands precisely in the direction of the incoming lightning chakra projectiles. With her right foot swiveling farther to her rightmost flank, she bent her body towards her leaning shin, evading five of the incoming needles. The remaining three screeching through the air towards her head she swung her left hand at, grasping the Chidori Senbons in between the upraised digits of hers, defusing them of their fuel source allowing them to sizzle out of existence.

During these moments she spent evading and countering the attack sent her way, Sasuke was throwing Rock Lee to the ground with incredible force. As Hinata watched with her Byakugan, she could only take in with admiration as Lee steadied himself with a thrusting palm down to the ground to cushion the impact and keep himself from falling completely prone to the ground. Twisting around his hips to align himself better within the grapple Sasuke had on his opposing ankle, Lee swung his free foot around to strike Sasuke across the face.

It was unfortunate that Sasuke had long since saw the body language's subtle signs of movement that he bent his head back, grasping the other ankle with his free hand.

"Weak," Sasuke murmured briefly, bending his leg back briefly before throwing it up to smash into Lee's diagonally aligned backside.

Moving her body around in an upright crouched stance, Hinata reared back her palm and swiftly thrusted it outwards, discharging a concentrated shell of focused Chakra at Sasuke, "**Hakke Kusho!**"

Due to having only a single foot on the ground in mid-swing of his leg, Sasuke barely had time to flash his Sharingan in the direction of a nigh invisible sphere of energy. This ball of force collided into his exposed right side, causing his body to lurch to the left, and tumble a good ten meters away from the now free Lee.

"Gah!" Lee gasped aloud with relief, flipping onto his feet and sparing a glance at Hinata. "thanks!"

"No problem!" Hinata said with a stern tone. Rising from her stance long enough to break out into a full sprint, she briefly glanced in Lee's direction before continuing her run. "let's attack together!"

"Right!" Lee nodded, kicking off the ground to join Hinata, matching her speed with his. With both of their arms flowing behind their swift strides it was only but moments before they appeared before the now risen Sasuke.

"You don't get it," Sasuke sighed aloud, his vivid glare watching them approach just before his form would duck between an initial joined thrust of their hands, "Gentle Fist or Standard Taijutsu," blocking a swift snap kick from Lee he also in turn pendulum deflected a downward palm thrust from Hinata, "my eyes see through your movements!"

Rising up with a catapulting thrust of Chakra pushed out from his soles, Sasuke vaulted over their heads, landing the soles of his sandals onto the back of their skulls. Kicking them into a somersaulting roll across the ground, Sasuke was already in the midst of weaving hand signs while flipping forward in the air. Just as the toes of his sandaled right foot would grace the rooftop tile, his body would spin in a clockwise pirouette, planting his left foot solidly onto the ground.

Thanks to Hinata's Byakugan, she could tell what Chakra Nature the sudden manifestation of energy that was building up through Sasuke's body. Pushing herself off the ground swifter than even Lee could manage, the young Hyuga sprinted forward a handful of steps while pulling both of her hands back against her sides.

With a well timed thrust of her palm heels, Sasuke's arched up head would bow down to release his own Jutsu.

"**Katon, Ryuka no Jutsu!**"

"**Hakke Kuhekishou!**"

As a column of flames jettisoned across the air, illuminating the air with a vibrant orange-golden glow, a sudden high pitched whistle followed by an audible pop was heard. Mere meters in front of Hinata's palms the virulent tongues of heat would arch around her and Lee. The blurring waves of pressure generated by her precise Chakra discharge keeping them both unharmed by Sasuke's Jutsu.

"Way to go, Hinata!" Lee cheered with an instinctive fist pump, watching as the last of the wafting tongues of fire died down.

"Lee," Hinata said in a level, serious tone, keeping her hands pointing forward at Sasuke's direction. "can you keep Sasuke distracted for a few seconds? I can give you some support, but this will require some focus on my part."

"Of course," Lee nodded, rising up to his feet from his crouched stance. With confident strides taking him around Hinata's left flank and past her, unending in the path that would take him to Sasuke. Slamming a fist into an open palm, an anticipating grin worked its way onto the bowl-cut haired man. "it's time to unleash my flames of youth!"

"Your so-called _flames _had died out long ago, Lee," Sasuke responded icily, rising upwards into an impassive stance. He only flashed his venomous, crimson glare at Lee as his knuckles cracked independently with equal readiness. "the same day that Konoha was razed asunder!"

A sudden rupture in the air would be felt as it was clearly seen by both Doujutsu users. Rock Lee's body was a blur of motion, causing the very atmosphere around him to curl and bend in a sense of of surreal hyper-friction. When a charging ridge hand chop would swing around towards Sasuke's face, a vertical swipe with his own right hand, deflecting the strike with the backmost area.

Following up, Lee would thrust a palm thrust to pierce his guard, unfortunately finding it swiftly redirected from his person. The Uchiha prodigy would whiplash a number of hook punches at Lee's visage, forcing the Taijutsu expert to raise up either of his forearms and skip back to strengthen his defense. It wasn't until Sasuke was wrapped up in his aggressive maneuvers that Lee spun his body to the right, pushing himself suddenly through Sasuke's guard to ram his shoulder past a grazing punch to impact into his chest.

"Ngh!" Recoiling from the blow, Sasuke backpedaled away from the immediate series of spinning kicks and punches sent his way by the pursuing Rock Lee. His arms buffeted a number of audible impacts, a minute stinging could be felt underneath his cloak, despite his dampening of their strikes. He couldn't deny the present attacks were providing a solid testament to the martial artist's strength.

"**Gate of Opening, OPEN!**"

It was then as the prodigal Uchiha was eyeing up Lee's Chakra that he would see something change immediately. A sudden dramatic rise of Chakra flow across his limbs and torso, emitting directly from middle of the Shinobi's skull. This sudden propulsion had the path of his movement predicted by his Sharingan to be higher than he had anticipated.

The moment that Rock Lee's high-powered kick soared through the air to hit the target intended, a wafting ball of flames would be dispersed where Sasuke had stood moments ago. Passing harmlessly over Lee's person upon moving through his enemy's last known position, he immediately relaxed his body when his feet skidded to a long grinding halt. With a forceful inhale and exhale, Lee's body would release the stress of the sudden activation of his Hidden Lotus, keeping it from putting much of a strain upon him.

"Nice speed. You've gotten stronger since the last time we fought," Sasuke applauded in a relaxed tone, his cloaked visage standing right behind him. Lee restrained his personal movement, the sensation of a pressing tip of a kunai at the base of his neck. A vital spot and one that could permanently cripple him if impaled. "your _Frontal Lotus _is quick, but my _Shunshin _is much faster."

The sudden audible sound of metallic clanging would be heard, causing Sasuke's gleaming red eyes to divert from his captive prey to seek out the source. It looked as if a handful of kunai with paper attached to their handles were struck around their vicinity. In just an instant, explosions of grey smoke would exude from the kunai tags, creating a wafting thick cloud that covered the whole roof top.

A startled cough was released from Sasuke, using a spare hand to cover his nostrils from the faint aroma of spices laced within the smoke bombs. "_That Hinata...she baited me with Lee long enough to take my eyes off her! Now my Sharingan is hampered by this smokescreen of hers-!_"

His mental evaluation of his situation would be halted by a succinct series of rapid footsteps and high-pitched thrums of metal ripping through air currents.

The faint sound of whizzing could be heard from all sides, cutting through the veil of smog to reveal a number of shurikens were thrown around him. With reluctance, Sasuke pulled away the knife just long enough to plant a solid kick to his crouched backside, sending his enemy reeling across the battlefield. Igniting a Chidori around his tool, he began spin rapidly in a clockwise rotation movement, swiftly parrying and cutting through the guided projectiles.

In this instant of counters and evasion, the smoke would be circularly billowed away around Sasuke. A high-pitched rotational sound would be heard, causing his red-black eyes to swiftly look up, his jaw opening slightly at what was occurring. There above him was Hinata, head first down with palms spinning along with the entirety of her being, discharging a stream of azure-hued Chakra. The visage would be more or less the equivalent of a vertical spinning human drill made out of Chakra and accelerated downwards by gravity.

"_She used the Shurikens to distract my Sharingan from her ascent into the air and her build-up of Chakra!_" Sasuke realized inwardly. Wasting only as second to be startled, Sasuke coiled lightning Chakra around both of his palms. Just a mere meter away, he thrust them up to meet the azure helix spin of light and cobalt hued hair.

"**SOUCHIDORI!**"

"**JUKEN, RASENTEN KAKOU!**"

The twin pitches of high frequency generates from thrumming gales of corkscrewing blue light and upward thrusting electricity would be overshadowed by a deafening collapse of the proximate air pocket. The imitation of a sonic boom would balloon outwards, sounding like a thunderclap to all passerbiers within the entirety of the city. The entire roof crackles with tension of two opposing forces of similar hues, tendrils of azure and turquoise snapping across the tiled flat expanse.

Such was the force of the twin fissures of energy, that the ground underneath Sasuke began to distend and collapse underneath his feet.

Sasuke began to find his body descending down into the next floor, nearly a dozen square meters of roofing falling down with him. During this point their Jutsus had cancelled out during the colliding struggle, the two's intensities equalling out. The kickback would be enough to send Hinata sprawling up and backwards in a spiral away from the building.

That is, that's what Sasuke saw in mid-fall. But at the same time of his fall he would see a vibrant crackling source of light, belonging to what he saw was another Hinata. Brimming like fire were the source of the Chakra luminescence, creating what appeared to be the shape of two lion heads of identical appearance. As his eyes were taking in these startling details, _this _Hinata already kicking off the ground, moving swifter than he could anticipate, all before he could hit the ground.

Raising his arms up in a visual display of false protection, Sasuke felt a hint of desperation fluctuate through his being. From the way he saw the twin manifestations of Chakra, he knew that it was deadly to make even the slightest proximate contact. His Sharingan eyes gleamed furiously behind his hooded silhouette, his body becoming overwhelmed by the flash of cerulean white light before anyone would know it.

"**JUHO, SOUSHIKEN!**"

In that instant, a cyclone of cerulean wind and blinding light was ushered forth, sending the vaguely outlined form of Sasuke hurtling through the building. From an aerial perspective the Uchiha would be barreling through house after apartment complex. Entire structures were either bulldozed into the ground from the sheer impact or receiving a voluminously sized hole from the path of the attack and its target.

Like the sound of a cannon, Sasuke's form finally declined in a horizontal spin, descending down through a final structure and landing with a cataclysmic crash. Such force would be initiated that a mushroom cloud debris and smoke would be uproared, cracking and shattering the surrounding structures within its city block.

As Hinata held out her outstretched palms in front of her, bereft of the vibrant pair of chakra lion heads, a bead of sweat traveled down her forehead to emphasize her weariness. Steam seemed to emanate around her fingertips along with the outlined hole that Sasuke had been thrust out of by her attack. It was an impressive attack and one she could hardly believe she actually pulled off against the likes of an Uchiha.

"Using a Shadow Clone to attack him from above while I launched this attack directly afterwards has used a lot of Chakra. Though I can't think about that right now. Got to stay focused!" Hinata whispered to herself, already feeling lost traces of her Chakra begin to return to her body. Hardening her brow back to the protruding veined outline, her Byakugan activated and homed in on the location she sent her enemy flying.

What she would see there would cause her to let out a shaky gasp and cause her dilated lavender eyes. "N-No way...!"

* * *

**Approximately a Minute Ago...**

"Here ya go, you two," An aging man draped in chef attire said in a contrastingly positive tone, placing down a pair of piping hot bowls of ramen before his customers. "Miso Beef Ramen, just as you asked!"

"Oh boy! Thanks, Old Man!" Konohamaru said with an ecstatic grin, breaking apart the paper wrapped chopsticks in front of him. Ignoring the glare full of daggers sent his way, he began to slurp up and devour his bowl of noodles and meat noisily.

"I'm so sorry, sir, about my companion's _rude _behavior," Moegi placed a hand over her chest, elbowing Konohamaru's shoulder hard enough to cause him to cough and snort some of the noodles through his nose.

"Oh god, I'm dying!" Konohamaru wheezed as he tried to swallow and hack out food, his face covered with soup broth.

The Chef, however, seemed to laugh heartily at their antics. This earned a quizzical look from Moegi while the grandson of Hiruzen regained his composure, quickly devouring his food with gusto once more. "I don't mind that. Quite frankly it's a nice breath of fresh air around here, to see people who acted so carefree. Too often I've seen people who barely mumble a response beyond asking for the meal check or when the food's done."

Moegi bowed her head, staring at a distorted reflection of her face with a saddened expression crossing it. "It's that bad here, huh?'

"You're obviously from elsewhere to ask that," The Chef said intuitively, tapping a large finger over his chin. Looking around at the humble miso soup stand, similar in size and stature to Konoha's old Ichiraku Ramen shop. What few customers that had taken a seat, they had come as quickly as they had arrived, leaving their payments on the counter and entered back into the downtrodden busy fray of the city street. "people around here don't try and express themselves. What with the state of the world and the examples made of those who've tried, most of the fighting spirit or individuality has been sapped from everybody. I can't really blame them either, what with the Shinbu Corps watching our every move."

"This world will get better someday," Moegi looked unashamed vigor, her bright eyes locking onto the man's dark ones. "I know it will! We just can't lose hope now. If we don't, then we might as well be dead on the inside as well as the outside."

"I..." The Chef began to say, voice and gaze wavering at such spirit withing someone so young. It was then during a distant crash, the equivalent of thunder that rattled the shop and ground with synonymous dischord, that his train of thought was interrupted. Opening his eyes wide, he could only look around the shop's roof, seeing it settle back down after the unsettling rattles subsided. "-what was...that about?"

Konohamaru finished gorging himself on the bowl, unaware of his surroundings while Moegi's face paled with recognition. Standing upright, she looked to her right, feeling the dispersals of Chakra from two most recognizable signatures. One was a fierce yet gentle one, while the other felt vile and cold, like coal-mingled ice.

"S-Sasuke...is here?!" Moegi whispered hoarsely, her skin already on edge, feeling goosebumps crawl up and down her scalp down to her fingertips.

"Miss," The Chef began inquiring, a look of genuine perplexion crossing his face.

"Ahhhhhh," Konohamaru sighed, slapping his bowl onto the counter.

In the single moment that the bowl had touched the counter, a secondary thunderclap, much grander than the last was emitted. Moegi could feel the signature that was undoubtedly Sasuke's rushing headlong in their direction with a startling momentum. The fear that had gripped her kept her from reacting in time, allowing the dawning realization that all three of them would be hit by the hurtling force breaching through visibly splintering constructs beyond their sight.

That is, until Moegi felt a strong hand swiftly grip her upright shoulder and Konohamaru's collar. Unable to see whom was the person siezing control of her form, all she could do was be ripped from her paralyzed spot off her feet and thrust across the street, deftly weaving through the crowd of people staring aghast at the high-sped phenomena. By the time she felt her body thrust into a dark enclosed space of a dimly lit shop, a deafening impact was heard as much as it was felt, annihilating the shop they were eating and relaxing within moments ago.

Due to the ringing in her ears she was unable to hear the screams of terror as shockwaves of kinetic kickback from the object's crash into the Ramen shop. When she would open her eyes, the dazed dizziness would be broken away to see a familiar face. Dull grey hair pulled back into a frayed ponytail with bangs combed back to frame his bare forehead. Brown-rimmed glasses refracted light for a moment before revealing a pair of onyx shaded eyes. While he wore what appeared to be an ordinary violet-hued silk tunic top with a high-tubular shaped collar, he wore little else than a humble beige sash around his wasteline and a similar pair of violet hued shorts with a pair of dark hued boots.

"Y-Y-You-!" Moegi croaked out, still feeling her body shake from the shock of what just happened.

"Just call me Kabuto," K-7 responded smoothly, smiling in a disarming fashion that put the young girl at ease. "it'd be most unfortunate if clients of my boss met an untimely end. It'd be bad if I watched it happen and did nothing, you understand."

"Y-Yes," Moegi nodded, focusing her breathing and allowing herself to be righted up, thanks to K-7's help. Looking out from the enclosed space of the shop, she couldn't help but reach up to cover her mouth at what she saw.

While citizens were now giving a wide berth to the accident, undoubtedly fleeing the scene from the wreckage that had been created, nearly a dozen were lying astrewn within the cracked and soot-covered cobblestone street. Bodies lied crumbled in awkward angles, jagged pieces of wood and concrete wedged or lied atop the dead bodies while others appeared to be choking out their last gasps. The one that hit her the hardest was the partially visible hand of the Chef within the ruins of his own shop, hand sticking out and unmoving, a pool of blood oozing out to spread beneath the underside of the dirt-covered hand.

Even among the debris pile, a few bodies that had cascaded from the force utilized to send its target sprawling had ricocheted them over the shop, showing most if not certainly all of them were dead as a result of the attack. Though from the deepest recess of the indented and shattered shop, something lingered. Violet flames of the most virulent Chakra spread, with a pair of skeletal arms already shoving away the mess of bodies and crumbled structure that had piled atop of him. Tearing off what was left of the cloak, Moegi and K-7 could plainly see the person who was meant to take the full brunt of that prievious assault.

A high-collared, short-sleeved coat flourished behind his stalwart frame with the mark of the Uchiha fan crest proudly emblazoned on the center of his back. Trailing all the way down to the top of his ankles, the coat's lowest tresses flourished with the dispersal of the violet Chakra exuding from his person, lightly lapping at the dark brown tunic bottom that matched his sleeveless top that was covered by said coat. A grey hued sash held his Kusanagi blade, sheathed in its midnight dyed wooden sheath that perfectly matched the guardless scabbard.

"_So, Sasuke Uchiha has come to Takanaka? No doubt he has tracked our clients with the utmost thorough subtlety,_" K-7 noted mentally, pressing up the frame of his glasses up the bridge of his nose, causing it to momentarily glimmer with a flash of light, reflecting the ominous violet haze that Sasuke's aura cast. "_I'll have to inform Master Kabutomaru about this. He'll know how to handle this situation..._"

"K-Konohamaru?!" K-7's thoughts were interrupted by Moegi's startled gasp. Turning over to his opposing flank, where Moegi had crawled on her hands and knees, she saw a very much unconscious and dazed Konohamaru. Grasping him by the shoulder, she shook him, only earning her tired groans. "wake up! Are you alright?!"

"He'll be fine," K-7 said with assurance, waving dismissively at the worried Moegi. "I merely applied a small dose of Chakra to the base of his neck. He'll be out for a half hour at the most, maybe less. I doubt you want him to be charging into a fight involving someone like _that_, do you?"

"Y...You're right," Moegi realized with a sigh, bowing her head towards K-7 with thankfulness. "thank you."

"No need to thank me," K-7 waved in a disarmingly polite tone, smiling as he emphasized their surroundings. "just be thankful that my boss had set up a Barrier around this place ahead of time. No one can detect us within here unless the caster -namely myself- were to allow it. Plus it has small repellant properties that allow flying debris from entering, making it more or less a perfect place to hide from collateral damage such as this."

"Then tell him I thank him," Moegi asserted with a nod.

Smiling a subtle grin, K-7 nodded again, "I'll make sure to pass that along."

* * *

"Hinata!" Rock Lee shouted, finding himself descending into the hole of the building's former rooftop, landing beside her alert frame. "did you get him?!"

"No," Hinata said firmly, biting her lower lip with worry and equal frustration. "Sasuke is still-"

"-alive?" Sasuke finished, his frame having suddenly manifested in a blurring motion, merely a half dozen meters in front of them. While they equally recoiled and raised their guards, the unshrouded Sasuke glared at them with his Mangekyou Sharingan eyes, glistening with iration that hadn't been seen since his assault on the Village.

"If that attack had actually landed on me, I wouldn't have been breathing before I would made my final crash landing," Sasuke admitted, subtly nodding his head down at the exposed ribs of the abhorrently active ethereal construct of virulent Chakra surrounding him; Susano'o. Two rows of ribs seemed to be effectively shattered, though now were repairing themselves at a considerably faster rate than before, almost back to full length. "I had activated Susano'o in its first state to take the full force of the attack and its physical force kickback. I'm surprised that you managed to knock the wind out of me in addition to shattering Susano'o's most initial form of defense."

Hinata could only grimace, holding her palms out in a fluent stance, her left foot leaning back while her right one planted firmly forward. Lee likewise held clenched his fists and put them close to his face, assuming a more boxer-style pose.

All the while, Susano'o's initial state was solidifying, with arms creating virtual Chakra infused flesh over arms and enlarged digits. A horned skull with glowing yellow eyes glared down at the two Konoha Ninjas. Illuminating the entire darkened second highest floor of the building they have taken their battle to with violet hued Chakra flames, it truly looked to be a foreboding situation for them both.

"Lee," Hinata said in a stoic tone, causing her friend to lock a sideways glance at her. "we're no match individually against Sasuke. We're going to need to use as much power as possible in order to bring him down."

"I understand," Lee nodded, an expression of complete dedication crossing his face. "I will stake my Shinobi way and very life on this battle. You can count on that!"

"Alright," Hinata said with a grim smile. Breathing inwardly, she exhaled a long breath, crossing her forearms in front of her and slowly lowered them over her extended right leg. The wind began to buckle and swirl around her, which to Sasuke's eyes, seemed to be a swiftly building cyclone of Chakra being generated from her pores.

The Susano'o's right hand reared back and swung forth with startling speed, aiming to strike Hinata directly within her concentrating frame. The only thing that would derail it would be a blurring outline of Lee, landing a flying kick into the wrist to kick out the side of the way and collapse more of the upper annihilated portion of the roofing away. Before it could realign for a counterattack, Lee would vault over the limb and spin upwards to land a Leaf Hurricane kick to the Susano'o's right eye hole.

"**Gate of Pain, Open!**" Lee shouted immediately, causing his entire exposed visage and digits to flush a dark red from the increase outflow of Chakra-infused strength. Such increase in strength caused the Susano'o's head to rear back, webbing cracks spread across the right side of its skull. The impact alone caused a buckling pressure wave to indent the floor underneath their feet and bring down more of the proximate roofing down near their positions.

Formulating a number of hand signs faster than one could blink twice, Sasuke inhaled deeply while his Susano'o roared with fury. In the moment his fiery ether avatar tried to bite Lee's frame, forcing him to spin away, Sasuke exhaled a number of fireballs from his lips, causing them to pass through his ultimate defense like water through a sponge. "**Katon, H****ou****senka no Jutsu****!**"

Lee bounced to and fro, his frame dizzyingly moving through the air in a visual imitation of walking across it. While pyrotechnic projectiles crashed across the various buildings surrounding them with blazing unabated fury, Lee was untouched, and repeatedly lunged back to strike at the Susano'o. Landing a titanic pressured punch to an upraised forearm of the skeletal construct, he found that the force was properly absorbed. Backpedaling he would narrowly avoid a knife-hand swipe of the defending arm and charge towards the rib cage, only to have his leaping double-kick blowed by another upraised Susano'o limb.

"_Even with the 4th Gate, Sasuke is matching my speed and strength this easily, after just one attack?!_" Lee thought with frustration and equal amazement, briefly skidding back as the set of skeletal knuckles thrust out in an attempt to knock him back.

"Compared to the Raikage, your speed is subpar," Sasuke voiced aloud with smug assurance, punctuated by a cocky smirk.

Grinding his teeth, Lee briefly looked over at Hinata's crackling frame. The pensive look on her face looked intense, and from the brief casting glance she sent in his direction, she appeared to be ready to join the fray. With a smile, Lee's blank-eyed stare would meet Sasuke's red-black star-shaped orbs.

"Get ready, Sasuke," Lee said with a vibrating tone, his body shaking with the amount of power his blood was pumping across his blood-red frame. "this attack will be our last!"

"I couldn't agree more!" Sasuke yelled out in an excited tone, the Chakra aura of his Susano'o expanding around him to a point where their floor cracked with even further intensity. As Sasuke leaped forward along with his ethereal avatar, the Susano'o's hands generated two blades of pure Chakra. Raising over its head, it aimed to smash down at Lee and Hinata with unrestrained fury. "_**DIE, LEAF!**_"

Before the twin blades and arms could fully come down, a sudden expansion of azure-indigo light emerged beneath the Susano'o body. Two enlarged paws dug into the underarm creases of the skeletal avatar, following up with a similarly sized ethereal lion's head rising up and clamping its mouth over the neck of the construct. With its tail and back seeming to be continuously being generated from where Hinata stood steadfastly, coiling in arcs of crackling Chakra, Hinata held her arms in a X-shaped fashion over her prominently forward facing leg.

"**Juho, Shishimanto!**" Hinata proclaimed reverantly underneath the shroud of Chakra she had shaped and generated from her being.

"I-Incredible!" Lee thought, staring in dumbfounded awe at what Hinata just created. "Hinata was able to create a Spectre of Chakra all her own!"

"Hit him, Lee!" Hinata urged Lee, visually straining within her cobalt shroud of Chakra manifested light. Even now, beads of sweat trickled down her face, showing just how much pressure it forced upon her. "I can't keep this up for much longer!"

"R-Right!" Lee nodded, quickly kicking off the ground, whizzing around to Sasuke's Susano'o rear flank. With a devastating kick followed up with a series of thunderous punches, Lee could see the webbing outlines of his attacks being made against the restricted Sasuke. "it's working!"

Growling from within, Sasuke found that his movements and resistance was severely hampered by Hinata's Lion Spectre. With the rattling attacks performed on his construct's backside, he could feel the artificial tissue brutally rendered asunder and the back portion of the ribs be assaulted with relentless barrage. But with a glance over his shoulder after analyzing Hinata's person, he knew that their bodies couldn't hold up their assault.

Feeling the head become nearly torn off by the powerful maw of Hinata's Shishimanto, he began to make a number of hand signs. In those moments coming to pass, Lee kicked back to perch on a toppled building pile a good fifty meters away from them, body shaking with an undeniable further rise of Chakra flow within his body.

"**5th Gate of Limit, OPEN!**" Lee shouted aloud, his body creating a sonic boom from the force he launched himself at Sasuke's unprotected flank. Utilizing his moment, Lee spun around like a windmilling top, his leg creating a fissure of force that would be undoubtedly deadly upon impact. Upon it touching the side of Sasuke's Susano'o, it would unintentionally collide with the proximate frame of Hinata's Shishimanto, sending a emerald gale of wind that would tear both constructs in half. "**Seishun Taifunami!**"

While Hinata deftly ducked beneath the kick, able to perceive it thanks to her Byakugan's piercing omniscient vision, she was still surprised of the sheer power of Lee's technique. To her right, the gale force wind of rupturing air that sent her violet hair in a billowing frenzy around her head toppled the tops of many tall buildings along with exploding a distant street. "What terrifying strength...!"

It was then, however, that she also had perceived that there was no Sasuke present when the kick had been deployed. Directing her Byakugan and facial gaze upwards, she saw Sasuke descending downwards, having propelled himself directly through his own defense in order to avoid near death. With his hands clasped into a Tiger Seal along with a sizable build-up of Chakra at the base of his throat, she knew what was coming was big.

"Lee!" Hinata barely had time to shout aloud, faintly seeing the exhausted martial artist collapse onto the already unstable flooring beneath them. Even as she forced herself to rush to his side, her Doujutsu could already see the outline of incinerative flames being spewed downwards long before she heard Sasuke's voice. With the outline of a chinese dragon head, it flourished downwards, packed with enough pyrotechnic Chakra that it made her want to move as far away as possible.

It was unfortunate that she knew she couldn't make it very far.

"**KATON, G****OURYUKA ****NO JUTSU!**" Sasuke shouted out in vicious declaration, watching his own Fire Release Technique barrel down into the building that was already half-collapsing. Spearing through it like a torpedo, it wouldn't be but a few seconds before a wafting wave of orange-gold-red flames would cascade through the city block. A shockwave of sheer explosive force that was spread out faster and farther than the flames would touch.

A smile of revelling would cross his face as his feet would touch down upon the brimstone and ashen earth below. "_Almost two down...then the rest will follow!_"

* * *

The last of the cards were finally in Ichigo's possession. Reading up the info on this card, it seemed to spread over a much more wide area of the geographical chart. Though mostly presiding over the Land of Fire, it was clear that this Akatsuki preferred to make it his own area of operations. As it flipped over to the mugshot, he could tell that the one in question -namely a Sasuke Uchiha- was nearly the same age as he was. With raven tresses emblazoning a soft complexion with a harsh look around his eyes, Ichigo could tell from the cycling images of his eyes about unique characteristics about his skills.

Though he was more interested about the profile and name linking back to prior stories of Neji's. The man whom was a rogue of their Village, a man who came back to take vengeance and helped destroy his comrades. Specs of his kills were even listed within the info card.

Despite this, Ichigo couldn't help but toss the card to Neji. "This the man you were talking about?"

"Sasuke Uchiha, yes," Neji scowled, his impassive face grimacing slightly. "I fought with him once. His Visual Prowess complemented with the arsenal of Jutsu and inherent skills makes him a dangerous enemy to contend with.

"If you're going to face him," Neji suggested, tossing the card back to Ichigo. "you're going to need help."

"He's that dangerous?" Ichigo queried with a hardened stare of caution.

"Perhaps potentially the most dangerous of them all. His pathos is to eliminate all ties to his former comrades so that he may avenge the Clan who was forcefully murdered by his brother. While I cannot deny the plausibility more shady elements within the bureaucracy of our Village's Elders being responsible, his actions have proven to make him a person beyond reasoning," Narrowing his lavender eyes at Ichigo, he practically growled out the last phrase. "he needs to be eliminated. For the world's sake as much for what's left of Konoha."

"This guy," Ichigo bared his teeth, looking down at the mugshot of Sasuke with a iron gaze that would make any lesser man cower. "he did all of that to his comrades?!"

Unbeknownst to them, Kabutomaru himself seemed to incline his head upwards. While the above activities that had been effectively shielded from the occupants, compliments to the unique structure his laboratory was made out of, he had a constant link to K-7 within the shop above. Being appraised of what has happened so far, he nodded with an intrigued smile.

"What if I told you," The informant began, causing both Neji and Ichigo's gazes to realign back with his spectacle endowed one. "that Sasuke Uchiha has just been sighted here, in Takanaka Town?"

"He's here?!" Neji said aloud while Ichigo's gaze mimicked what Neji's voice had instilled. "what's he doing here?!"

"Indeed. While my subordinate has kept the younger two of your comrades out of harm's way, it seems your cousin and Rock Lee are engaging him in direct combat. Though after the last attack, I doubt they're in any condition to continue," Kabutomaru pressed the glasses upwards along the bridge of his nose.

"Well why didn't you say so in the first place?!" Ichigo asked in an incredulous tone.

"I just got the confirmation now," Kabutomaru said with a honest shrug of the shoulders. "we're in a bunker, of sorts, sealed from the outside. It keeps from pesky Shinbu from locating my lab and ferreting me out of this place. I doubt even a Byakugan could pierce the Barrier Ninjutsu I have cast over this place..."

"Sorry, I'm going to have to cut this short!" Ichigo said in a rushed tone, his being already sprinting up the spiral staircase. Even as his steps began to fade, Neji would follow after as fast as he could, leaving the snake-man in the dark and eerie lab where he had stayed calmly behind.

"_Please be well_," Neji thought with creased brow lines, already protruding various veins with his Byakugan activating, "_Lady Hinata!_"

* * *

**Hinata was in pain**.

Not only had the shockwave caught her in mid-stride, the backlashing affect of using Shishimanto was causing her muscles to burn up inside. Such a technique was completely feasible -normally- with her Chakra, but having expended so much prior to its use had took a significant toll on her person. Now, underneath a pile of lopsided concrete and cobblestone gravel, she found herself shakily rising to a kneeling position.

Her Byakugan was inactive, her focus being thrown off during the cacophony of exploding structures around her. Looking around, she saw Lee heaving onto his hands and knees, but from the way he struggled she knew he had no strength left to fight their arduous battle. With the sound of foreboding taps of sandal bound feet, crunching ashen earth callously, she knew that neither of them were ready.

"It seems both of you are at your limit," Sasuke said aloud in a factual, if not completely presumptuous tone. His frame didn't look worn for wear in the slightest, his short-sleeved cloak billowing around him as a current of wind howled across them. In tune, Hinata's cobalt hair flowed wildly, her eyes wide and filled with fear, an emotion that Sasuke relished. "I see you've accepted your fate. Just like the Villagers I've killed in Konoha and these past 2 years-"

"NO!" Hinata shouted aloud, her voice still shaking, contradicting what she felt in her body. Standing with effort, the merely ground prone Rock Lee could only stare with amazement at Hinata's courageous stance. "I'm not running or giving up! That's who I am. I'm standing for what I believe in, no matter what. That's my Nindo, my Ninja way!"

It was at this moment that Sasuke's smile vanished and his brow line hardened into an enraged glare. Lightning instinctively began to chirp and crackle around his left palm, his wrist slowly raising up to point in the Hyuga's direction. "Still following the dream of that pitiful loser? Fine! It's time you die like him!"

"Sasuke...!" Lee shouted aloud with alarm.

In that cry of pleading, a vibrant spear of light discharged from Sasuke's palm, slicing through the air with uncontested swiftness. But during the Jutsu's passing, it was suddenly interrupted, halted by an outstretched hand bound in X brands of black leather spanning the wrist while straps of independent ribbons flowed over his knuckles. The blurring wraith of black silk and a white-black collar with a crimson bandoleer flowing over his chest would face the would-be killer of Hinata.

"I-Ichigo?!" Hinata gasped aloud, feeling her heart nearly jump to her throat at the unexpected arrival coupled with her near death experience.

"You look tired, Hinata," Ichigo said plainly, only sparing a small glance over his shoulder while keeping a firm grip on the Chidori Spear, subtle crackling tension rattled underneath his palm. From his point of view, her face was full of cuts, with a gash over her forehead and her beautiful overcoat now shredded and dirtied by the debris. Lee suffered similar affects while sporting bleeding across his hands and feet, the places of which he strained his attacks the most from. "you and Lee better stand back. I'm going to handle this guy."

"B-But you-"

"Listen to him, Hinata," Neji spoke next to her, his body manifesting in a swift blur of his own, albeit at a much more delayed rate than Ichigo's had been. Kneeling beside her he draped an arm of hers around his shoulder, locking his lavender eyes with her own. "he is the only one in this city who can contend with Sasuke. Leave this to him and allow me to get you both to safety. You're in no condition to argue this matter."

"Y-Yes, brother," Hinata nodded, using her honorary term for her cousin as a sign of respect for one of her sole remaining relatives. As she felt herself carried over to where Lee stood agape at seeing Ichigo's present just stand there, unaffected by such a lethal Jutsu by grabbing it, she was soon joined by Lee at being shoulder-to-shoulder with Neji. Before they would leave, Hinata would call out to Ichigo one last time. "Ichigo!"

"Hm?" Ichigo looked back with a wide-eyed gaze of confusion.

"Win!" Hinata said with a determined, practically commanding visage. Receiving a stoic nod of confirmation, Hinata allowed herself to close her eyes and smile, knowing they had a stalwart protector among their midst. "_please be careful..._"

With a swift sprint, Neji hauled both of them with seemingly effortless dexterity and strength, allowing Ichigo to face Sasuke alone.

During the entirety of his initial arrival, Sasuke had been ridden into a state of silent shock. Had his Sharingan not been active he knew that he would have never even registered the man's movement of interception. Few had ever moved at such a speed that his originally deployed Jutsu could be met with such masterfully timed counter that he couldn't respond accordingly.

Then there was the fact he was holding his Chidori. Not only he thought this to be impossible by any stretch of human possibility, but that was something that led him to believe what the initial reports Pain had said were true. Something from the netherworld had come into theirs and already was defying logic that he had perceived to be sound.

"_His Chakra_," Sasuke began to think as he was concentrating on the girl. "_it's pure white with recesses of black mingling between it. It's almost as if his Chakra is beating with two drums at the center as well. Whatever he is, spirit or superhuman, his power must be massive to just adjust it enough to hold Chidori physically._"

When Ichigo's gaze met his, Sasuke's triple-comma crimson orbs narrowed with assertion. "So, you must be the Spirit everyone's so worked up about. Since I don't see you worst for wear I'm guessing you killed Shigure and Akimai?"

Ichigo tensed slightly at hearing the analytical words hit the mark precisely. He could only guess that from what little he studied that those weird eyes glaring at him were from before. He had known of his arrival from the get-go and was waiting for him and Neji to separate. Now he could tell he was a ethereal force by just looking at him, and it wasn't something he wanted to know why.

"Judging by your silence and body language I can deduce that you did. That's fine," Sasuke said impassively, closing his eyes momentarily to let out an exhale of resignation. "I never cared much for them. They were just getting in my way anyways so it's good to have them put down, even if it wasn't by my hand."

"_I just killed his comrades and he doesn't even bat an eye? Somehow I shouldn't be surprised, and yet_..." Ichigo thought with a visual growl, his teeth audibly grinding together.

Reopening his eyes, Sasuke coolly dispersed his Chidori Spear, causing the Chakra to fizzle out of substance between Ichigo's fingers. With his hand lowering to his side, Sasuke fixated his stare at him and briefly to his right, indicating the direction where Neji went. "I have no real interest in fighting you. If you wish to go elsewhere, it isn't really my concern. My quarry is the Konoha Shinobi you're traveling with, after all-"

"I'm not letting you pass!" Ichigo said resolutely.

"What was that?" Sasuke asked with feigned disbelief, his eyes predictably locking onto a hardened glare. "what's it to you what I do with them?"

"What's it...to me?!" Ichigo snarled, tightening his fists at his sides. As he continued to fixate his glare at Sasuke, his body began to ooze a vibrant aura of the most vibrant azure-white light, the spirit energy leaking out in tendrils. "after all the misery you helped incur...after betraying your comrades for revenge...you ask me what it should mean?!"

The ground began to quake underneath his feet, webbed cracks of the ruined street began to spread, the air itself distorting into a visual display of static. The shining azure light began to spread out like a brilliant bonfire, creating a mingling affect of black-white colors before Sasuke's Sharingan. With a lasting shout, Ichigo's body would discharge a gale force wind of sheer bodily light that pressured the environment all around him. "_**YOU SHOULD ASK WHAT IT MEANS TO THEM WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, SASUKE UCHIHA!**_"

Sasuke's eyes widened with surprise at just how much power came from the rage of this being. But after a few long seconds of his hair billowing about his scalp in tune with the lowest curtails of his overlapping coat to his shins and calves, he glared back in annoyance. A spare hand grasped the edge of his Kusanagi hilt, slowly unsheathing it as his crimson eyes continued to glare at him with a newfound menace.

"You'd never understand me, Spirit," Sasuke growled back, sword humming through the air as it was fully brought out of its dark hued scabbard. "not that it will matter once I send you back to the netherworld!"

* * *

**A/N**: Whew! I told you I'd be posting these things on infrequent dates, wouldn't I? Regardless, I apologize about the longer than normal update. This last week ALONE was difficult to adjust to, physically and emotionally, so I was often left too tired to write much. Hopefully this coming few weeks won't be so taxing XD

Now, about this Chapter, I'll try and address a few things about what's occurred. Let's see...what should I go over first? -taps chin-

Okay, some of you may be wondering why I named Kabuto "Kabutomaru". Simply, the suffix of "maru" actually means, "Perfect". Knowing that Kabuto in Canon after he injected himself with all the various petri dishes of DNA, most prominently being Orochimaru's by visual appearance, he was quite full of himself and thought to be the perfect Shinobi. So from now on, anytime you see Kabutomaru think "Snake Man," lol

So about K-7, "Kabuto" looks more or less what Kabutomaru USED to look like minus a few aesthetic changes. Why does he look like him? Is he a Clone? Who knows? I'm not telling ya right now =w=

Now for Hinata and Lee's battle with Sasuke. It's obvious I'm a big fan of Hinata at this point. The fact she's taken great strides forward since the time she's shined dimly (they could have done SO MUCH MORE WITH YOU) apart from her ineffective one-woman stand against Pain on Naruto's behalf, she hasn't gotten much love. So I made some techniques surrounding her use of Gentle Fist techs among manipulating Chakra Shape to a form much more adeptly than even Neji could employ. Hope you all liked it, for what it is worth ^^

The next fight is going to be Sasuke and Ichigo! Will Ichigo come out on top and bring down the bloodthirsty avenger? Or will Sasuke render even a Shinigami helpless before his might? Find out in the next chapter of, _Reap the Pain! _

Please leave comments below in the Review section of what you thought of this chapter :)

Extra Treats!: More translations! Hope you enjoy them ;)

**Hinata's Techs:**

-Juho, Rasenten Kakou ("Gentle Step, Spiral Heaven Drop,")

-Hakke Kusho ("Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm,")

-Hakke Kuhekisho ("Eight Trigrams Vacuum Wall Palm,")

-Juho, Soushiken (Gentle Step, Twin Lion Fists,")

-Juho, Shishimanto (Gentle Step, Lion Mantle,")

**Sasuke's Techs: **

-Katon, Ryuka no Jutsu ("Fire Release, Dragon Flame Technique,")

-Souchidori ("Double One Thousand Birds,")

-Susano'o ("He with the ability to help by all means,")

-Katon, Housenka no Jutsu ("Fire Release, Phoenix Sage Fire Technique,")

-Katon, Gouryuka no Jutsu (Fire Release, Great Dragon Flame Technique,")

**Lee's Techs:**

-Seishun Taifunami ("Youthful Typhoon Strength,")


	5. Embodiment of Vengeance

**Reap the Pain**

* * *

**2 Years Ago, Konoha, Hokage Mansion**

"What's going on?!" Homura Mitokado asked, his frame moving across the vacant office of the Hokage. Flanked by his left was the aged Koharu Utatane, both of which were draped int their Village Elder attire during the wake of this unforeseen phenomena. Meeting with them was the current head of the ANBU, draped in a white overcoat, dark brown tresses flowing as another gust of wind shakes the office in the wake of a distant explosion.

"All we got reports of was that the Village had a breach!" Koharu followed up, waving her hands exasperatingly, "what's going on?!"

"From what my reports tell me," The Commander spoke in a level, controlled tone. It was void of the nervousness most people would be feeling. Such was to be expected of the leader of Konoha's ANBU. "Akatsuki have come in full force."

Both of the Village Elders were stunned. It had been a normal quiet night within the Village, as one which was struggling to regain any semblance of recovery what with the Pain attack a week ago. They had yet to hear word from the three squads they sent out to recover Naruto in conjunction with a squad of Kumogakure Shinobi and Kunoichi.

Even Danzo, now acting as temporary Hokage until it was made official, was missing from a meeting that shouldn't have taken more than a few days time. That had been five days ago. Until now, there had been no word from any outbound Shinobi contacts, even Anko's squad had gone dark.

"Then...this explains why we can't get a hold of any of our squads or contacts," Koharu concluded, her widened eyes narrowing as their gaze drew to the ground, "they've been either killed or weren't able to complete their objectives. The Akatsuki have been victorious-"

"-And now they're here to finish the job," The bestacled Village Elder finished for his associate, his lenses refracting a glimmer of light to emphasize the foreboding tone of what they were thinking.

"Knowing the lack of able-bodied Shinobi to take charge I've already sent some of my men to various points of the Village," The ANBU Commander continued, not skipping a beat after hearing the depression-ridden rhetoric of his superiors and current colleagues of Konoha, "I'm issuing an evacuation of all citizens and the current Academy generation, not to mention the Genin. The rest of the Village will hold off the Akatsuki for as long as they can, but I'm not sure how long."

"Can we confirm Pain is here?" Homura inquired, casting up a nervous glance up at the dog-masked Shinobi.

"With the widespread destruction ensuing, it is likely that Pain is among the ranks of the Akatsuki attacking the Village," The ANBU Commander nodded with affirmation.

"Dammit!" Koharu swore aloud, balling her fists with frustration. "will our Village know no peace?!"

"**No...**"

"-GRK!" The Anbu Commander croaked briefly, finding his throat pierced by a single-edged sword. Hands would barely lift towards his penetrated neck before he'd see in the periphery of his mask's vision a contrasting visage of his killer. Draped in black fatigues would be a hood-bound cloak was the swordsman, holding out the sword at an upward angle with his left cloak-sleeved hand.

With a succinctly wet retraction, the profusely bleeding ANBU Commander fell limply face first to the ground to pool his lifeblood onto the ground. The sword's edge would drip ichor onto his white back, painting the perfect visage of death as a pair of all-too-familiar Sharingan glared out at the two trembling Village Elders. A voice as cold as ice with the heat of hellfire embers would be the only thing to escape the hooded silhouette covering his facial features, "**you'll find peace when the Village has been burned to the ground!**"

"S-Sasuke...Uchiha?!" Koharu gasped aloud, raising up her wrinkled hands up, trying to clamp them over her agape mouth.

"_He moved so quickly that not even the ANBU Commander could react in time,_" Homura mentally noted, gulping audibly a lump of understandable fear. "_could even Itachi perform such a feat?!_"

"**So nice you remembered my face,**" Sasuke grated out, his feet walking into the pool of blood beside the Shinobi he slain, emitting wet slaps of his sandal soles with each step. With his sword reflecting a glint of the incoming lunar rays of the full moon, his eyes changed shape into pinwheel shaped iris within a crimson sclera star design. "**Itachi's eyes haven't forgotten the ones who caused him to weep blood at your betrayal to the Uchiha!**"

"T-Those eyes!" Homura hissed aloud, gritting his teeth visibly, "Mangekyou Sharingan...!"

"Sasuke!" Koharu spoke aloud, now in a much more pleading tone. This would be further emphasized with her shaking hands upraised in his direction, eyes widened with horror etched into her weathered face. "Itachi did Konoha a service it can never repay him for! Your father was determined to plunge the whole Village into a senseless war that would leave us all but vulnerable to the other nations. Surely you wouldn't have wanted to see your family burn at the hands of foreign nations-!"

"**SHUT UP!**" Sasuke snarled out out, an excess release of Chakra causing the wooden planks beneath his soles to crack and distend. The blood he had spilled would boil and steam up, creating a noxious fume for all to inhale. The young Uchiha seemed to be basking in its stench, creating a fog to swirl around him as virulently visible as the violet aura that began to burn across his cloak. "**I'm sick of you Leaf rationalizing your crimes! I already had to hear nonsense from Danzo and I killed him for what he believed in. Now...you're going to share his fate!**"

The news of hearing Danzo's death proclaimed so proudly took both of the Elders by surprise. Beads of sweat crawled down their scalps, with their mouths held agape and their eyes dilated with shock. The only one they knew that could even compare to Hiruzen in terms of efficiency and strength was dead, the last Hokage of the Hidden Leaf.

And yet, through her fear, Koharu couldn't help but feel indignation at the boy.

"H-How could you?!" Koharu shrieked aloud, taking a step forward towards the very much younger Missing Nin. "how can you turn your back on everything this Village stands for! You were a Hidden Leaf Shinobi, weren't you?! Your brother was proud of his Village, despite our transgressions in making him do what he did to his Clan! You dare trample on that pride of his, you basta-!"

"**I've heard enough from you!**" Sasuke growled aloud, his left contracting in Koharu's direction. As blood seeped out from the crevices of his eye socket, Sasuke would hear the aged Village Elder become ignited in the eternally burning flames of Amaterasu. He watched her drop to the ground, rolling and convulsing in pained spasms as she could barely choke out a response to her aggressor. "**you can take your shame of me to the beyond. Itachi will be waiting to make your stay in Hell all the more miserable!**"

"KOHARU!" Homura shouted aloud with horror, reaching out towards her, whom tragically reached up at him.

"IT BURNS! AAAAAAAAAAAAAH! HOMURAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Koharu shrieked aloud, her voice cascading within the interior of the Hokage Office.

Homura began to reach within the confines of his robe, thinking of a way to save her life. This would be halted entirely by a searing pain passing through his chest. With blood and smoke coughing out of his mouth, he dropped a sealing scroll to the ground, staring down at a Chidori Spear thrusted through his body. Shakily, his glass-adorned eyes looked up with incredible pain at Sasuke, unable to even raise his now numbed hands.

"S-S-Sasuke...!" He growled out, still hacking up retched searing blood from his insides out of his mouth.

"**Watch her burn and know that it was your fault,**" Sasuke said coldly. He'd keep him upright, pinned by the Lightning Chakra that was extended from his horizontally aligned Kusanagi. Even as the shrieks began to dim into pained gasps and croaks, her frail body finally becoming choked of its last breaths as the fire decomposed her to an ashen state of being. "**take this to the grave along with all of your retched Konoha bretheren. Whatever ties of comradery I've had with them has been severed by a blade sharper than any in the world. They will not receive pity or mercy from the likes of me. They will forever hunted down by me, one by one, until the last draws breath and my brother's soul will rest in peace with the rest of my Clan.**"

"D-D-Damn...you!" Homura growled aloud, body crackling and spasming from being held upright by the electrically solid blade of Chakra.

**"Nothing stands in between me and my vengeance of Konoha,**" Sasuke snarled aloud, twisting his sword wrist to the side, causing the Chakra blade to transform from within. Dozens of electrical protrusions would jut out of Homura's body, sending searing pellets of heated blood to splatter across the room. Just as his glasses were shattered by the event, eyes void of life and indignation, did his body finally be torn asunder into searingly eviscerated chunks.

Looking down at his handiwork, with the entire room bathed within his noxious aura and the various kills he carried out, he would stare down at Homura in particular. Blood would slide down his cheek and drip onto the ground, splattering as he would whisper his last dark promise. "**Not even the gods will stop me from attaining my Uchiha justice!**"

_**C**_

_**H**_

_**A**_

_**P**_

_**T**_

_**E**_

_**R**_

_**5**_

_**EMBODIMENT OF VENGEANCE**_

* * *

**The Present, Takanaka Town, The Battlefield**

The air was filled with undeniable tension. Trails of vibrant and dark energy exuded from the pair of warriors glaring daggers at each other. One with golden irises, painted in with a blue backdrop; the other possessed a pinwheel shaped black iris within a stylized star shaped sclera of crimson. The ground practically quaked under their feet with such palpable power being projected by the two of them.

After what seemed like an eternity, they moved.

Sasuke's body blurred forward just as Ichigo's did, his Kusanagi igniting with a stream of chirping electrical currents. When the Substitute Shinigami swung his blade downwards, the Uchiha Shinobi swung upwards and met the blade before it made a full downward stroke. This preemptively cut through the gale force wind that would be produced from the sheer force of his swing while also bracing him against Ichigo's sizable strength.

Still, as the two blades metallically clanged against each other, Sasuke felt his knees practically buckle as his sandal soles push into an indented piece of earth. He had to steady himself with his other hand, employing an extra burst of Chidori to keep his bare palm from being sliced to ribbons. This was done strictly to keep himself from being overpowered outright by the singular hand wielding man.

"_This guy's eyes,_" Ichigo thought, his own hazel orbs having since dimmed from the initial staredown, stared into the crimson orbs that glared upwards past the cerulean shine of his Chidori imbued blade, "_it's like he's staring straight through me...!_"

It was during this moment that Sasuke took advantage of Ichigo's unnerved state. Releasing the pressure on his blade just a little, he allowed Ichigo's weight to be bent forward just as the Shinobi's left foot spun him around, forcing Zangetsu's edge to dig into the ground where his body no longer stood. Instead of being able to land a counterattack, like he hoped, the extremity of the sword's downward pressure created a shockwave the likes that sent Sasuke flying a good six meters backwards with a gust of debris-filled wind.

"_What physical strength!_" Sasuke noted with narrowing of his eyes. Amidst the dust filled air he felt his heels steadying on the ground, defusing the Lightning Chakra lighting up his Kusanagi as he took stock of what he was facing. Even as Ichigo blinked in confusion, standing tall and turned his face to glare in Sasuke's direction with visible iration, Sasuke couldn't help but feel a sense of caution enter his senses. "_This guy could give Kisame and the Eight Tails Jinchuriki a run for their money!_"

Kicking off the ground in a vibrant blaze of lime-hued light, Ichigo would rush at Sasuke with an even swifter acceleration. A darkened flash of black silk and a X-banded wrist swinging down a butcher blade would all Sasuke would see as the cleave would pass through his left shoulder. Cleanly, the blade would render him in a messy diagonal half, causing a large spray of blood with a dumbfounded look on his visage.

That is...for a split second it seemed that way.

"What the-?!" Ichigo's eyes widened with visible horror, feeling drops of blood splatter his face of an entirely different man his Zanpakutou cleaved. Even as the ground became erupted with a wave of contorted air pressure the path his blade went, he could tell the man's eyes were rolled up and had previous wounds, indicating he had long since been dead. That, and there appeared to be a visible paper tag placed upon the man's shoulder, as his body spun in the air from the force of the bisection.

Not waiting to find out what it was, Ichigo propelled himself backwards with a Fullbrought Shunpo, escaping what seemed like a well-timed activation of a Paper Bomb. With the recesses of his vision etched in spots, the Substitute Shinigami skidded to a halt nearly a block away, noting the previous carnage had seemed to have started here. Worst yet, he had completely lost sight of his enemy.

"I can't sense him," Ichigo muttered lowly, shifting his body in various directions, trying to gauge where he'd be hiding, "the hell did he go?!"

A sudden high-pitched cacophony of chirping screeched could be heard in the air. This caused Ichigo's eyes to widen as he felt a spike of energy dance along the recesses of his senses, indicating it was behind him. Turning on his heels, he would suddenly find a previously sturdy strip of apartment structures instantly shatter, giving way to a wall of cerulean flock of Lightning Chakra imbued birds.

"Oh Hell!" Ichigo swore aloud with surprise, leaping up into the air, avoiding being barreled into the shredding column of hundreds of electrical bodied birds. Even as he did so, only the first three dozen rammed into the collapsed buildings with unprecedented force that created an explosion of high voltage imbued Chakra. This left the rest to fly gracefully up into the air, following the Shinigami up into the air.

"Oh C'MON!" Ichigo groaned aloud in an audible growl, drowned out by the chorus of annoying chirps of the hundreds of Lightning Chakra avian bodies. Each time he swerved and kicked across the air, employing Fullbring to grapple the air itself while employing Shunpo to dance to and fro in short bursts over long distances to escape being rammed by such a great number of projectiles. Even still, the birds seemed to roll within the air as if they were all one mind, even avoiding each other to make a domino crash all but a null strategy for the strawberry-tressed man.

"_Got to get to the ground and deflect them!_" Ichigo thought, deftly spiraling towards the ground with legion of chirping projectiles following him. In a magnificent acrobatic spin back to his feet, his sandal feet weightlessly tapped onto the ground, discharging a buffet of wind from his spiritually cushioned landing. Raising his blade up in a beckoning manner, Ichigo would yell aloud as the storm of Lightning Chakra rained down upon him.

At a distance, bathed in the shadows would be Sasuke's form, blanketed in a dark silhouette once more. Sasuke's Sharingan had been watching and critically analyzing his enemy's movements for some time now. Having sent his Jutsu -**Chidori Ichigun**- after him allowed him to truly study and take in the abilities of what this man was capable. Thanks to his hyper-perception, he could see Ichigo's sword arm move at a dizzying speed as if it were swung at a snail's pace, batting and deflecting each Chidori bird away as if it were a fly, creating a shower of azure sparks wherever it stroked.

"_This man is skilled with a blade. Combined with that inhuman strength of his along with an incredible amount of speed it's no wonder he can deflect so many projectiles where it'd be impossible for any Shinobi to do so in a direct manner,_" Sasuke dictated, seeing through the dust storm of pockmarks and electrical explosions marking around Ichigo's location where his sword strokes wouldn't reach.

Even through the fog of war he could see the humanoid shaped silver-black shape of his enemy, thrumming with a constant and powerful beat with the ungodly Chakra that was bottled within him. After nearly half a minute of Chidori Ichigun's end that Sasuke would allow a wry grin to form on his face. Raising his right hand up with two forefingers in a selective hand sign, his teeth spread underneath the eerie glow of his Sharingan.

"Tch," Ichigo swung his blade through the steam-laced haze, dispersing the smoke and ozone scented air. One could see dozens of foot-sized holes surrounding the two meter spread of untouched cobblestone street. Raising his blade up in a nonchalant arc, Ichigo had it rested upon his right shoulder as he looked around for his enemy while witnessing the destruction caused by the technique. "man. This guy's attack is so much like Uryu's Spirit Arrows that it's uncanny. Don't think Uryu's attack could move like that though. Weird..."

A succinct whistling sound would grab the Substitute Shinigami's attention. Looking around at the pock-marked holes he could see the faint trace outlines of ember imbued seals, some of which seemed to have been delivered by what looked like the metallic fragments of shurikens. Strangely enough, the sound he heard the clearest came from right next to his right ear.

Turning his head around towards the flat of his blade, he could see a number of black-lined seals in the shape of dragonic serpents, almost now covering his entire blade within its inky outline.

"What the-?!" Ichigo began to utter with confusion, seeing that Zangetsu was practically covered in the animated "ink" that wasn't there moments ago.

"**Ninpo,**" Sasuke uttered unheard, from afar, Sharingan eyes alight with malice that painted his smiling visage with an eeriness that boded well for someone acquainted with eloquent murder. "**Ryukusari Raikouseki no Jutsu!**"

The sound of popping and chirping would be all that Ichigo could hear. The impact site soon became a barrier of dozens of Lightning Chakra imbued chains, all of which had dragon heads at their ends to snap out and latch onto the Shinigami's body. Even Zangetsu became enraptured by dragon-headed chains, coiling up Ichigo's arm before biting down into either of his shoulders. While shock, ironically enough, had hindered Ichigo's reaction timing, the cascading series of vibrant electrifying spasms the luminescent azure Jutsu would deploy caused him to scream aloud in pain.

Sasuke chuckled with accomplishment, watching his enemy writhe in pain from afar, "_That Jutsu is one I developed in subduing a few Akimichi Clansmen. While I modified the seals to be carried along the path of Chidori Ichigen, the time-delayed seals did the trick and he didn't suspect a thing till it was too late. Though, with your unique body and Chakra, this might only be a delaying tactic compared to those I've used it before on. In that case..._"

As Sasuke would begin to create a plan for an executing move, Ichigo felt as if his entire body was in pain. The only reason he had been able to grab the Chidori was due to preemptive focus of his spirit energy. Without preparation, his body was incapable of properly defending against the agonizing waves of Lightning Chakra pulsing through his being.

"_D-Damn...I got...to get free...of this!_" Ichigo thought with gritted teeth, his being taking a shaky step forward, spastically shaking from the solid shaped chains that continued to pour shocks into his body. Heaving heavily with every grunt and growl, Ichigo raised up a hand to grab one of the chain links, gripping it tightly. He knew he couldn't pry the binds physically but...

During a string of hand signs, Sasuke would notice an odd lime-hued light emerge from the daunting cerulean flashes of crackling Chakra. To his eyes he couldn't see Chakra being tapped into, but rather, something around the air itself seemed to visibly contort to his own natural vision.

"What the Hell is he doing?!" Sasuke murmured to himself, his body sprinting along the rooftops as he gained distance towards Ichigo's position, now but two dozen meters away from the crackling visage.

What he saw now caused his mouth to part and his eyes widen a fraction wider.

Ichigo's body was no longer bound by chains of remotely activated Lightning Chakra. Now it seemed as if it was flowing around him, bathing him in a mantle of sorts, creating the vivid distinction as if he had tamed the electricity that had previously been maiming him seconds ago. Embodying an element seemed almost impossible for Sasuke to comprehend, but, having fought the likes of the Kages whom used Jutsu he had never seen before made it easier for him to adjust.

"Hey," Ichigo said lowly, almost too quiet for Sasuke to hear, "you want this technique back?"

Almost all at once, the cloak of electricity flowed into his sword, trailing out in a vibrant display of azure crackling light. With his Sharingan he saw how controlled the Chakra of his Jutsu was to be imbued within the sword's own flow of amassed Chakra. The Uchiha wasted no time in making the final seal for his own technique, intending on countering it in full.

"**Katon, Gouryuka no Jutsu!"**

The priorly released, powerful Fire Release technique was unleashed from Sasuke's mouth, flowing outward to form the head of an enormously shaped dragon head. It would roar across with enough force and pyrotechnic momentum to create a hazy trail to its destination and from where it was deployed. A ravenous bestial familiar formed from Fire Chakra, it intended on devouring Ichigo whole and rendering his body into a pile of ashes.

"**Getsuga Shuraishou!**"

Likewise, Ichigo would swing his blade in a wide arc, unleashing what would appear to be a Hollow Mask shaped lance of spiritually empowered lightning. So quick was his well timed stroke of his blade that it would sound like a thunderclap would shake the air and ground around him.

Rocketing forward with unabated power into the priorly launched eloquently shaped fireball, both techniques would open their mouths and clamp them over each other. Just as their energies collided at its center, a brilliant flash of white light would emit in sync with a deafening screech of intense arresting powers. Then, a brilliant explosion would create a spherically ballooning mass of fiery blaze, shattering the building and indenting the street underneath its superheated light in under a handful of seconds.

Ichigo used his left forearm to brace the kickback from the explosion, his body skidding away only a handful of meters. He could only thank his natural endurance and use of spiritual power to protect him from the brunt of the shockwave that had ensued. Unluckily, however, it had -to his understanding- sent his enemy soaring away and would allow him to be hidden from his senses once again.

The Substitute Shinigami couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh, feeling the tinge of painful burns subside over the course of the following seconds, "Why do I get the feeling none of my battles with these guys are going to be anything _but_ conventional?"

* * *

"Tch," Sasuke hissed to himself, squatting lowly within an abandoned building's second story floor, concealing his presence as best as he could. Taking care to subtly look out the window with Sharingan defused, as to not alert any potential senses that his enemy possessed. With no bright haired swordsman in sight Sasuke would let out a sigh of relief as he had bought himself a momentary reprieve in their battle.

"_This guy's good. His speed could potentially surpass my own and his strength is on a level of subhuman. His reaction timing and swordsmanship aren't anything to snuff at either, but it seems he relies more on his weapon of choice than other tactics. However, that abnormal power that he draws from around him that not even my Sharingan can see. It's...unnatural and it can even tame foreign Chakra of Jutsu deployed, given the chance,_" Sasuke recollected, leaning his head against the wall, his right knee upright with his right arm resting over it while his left side lied against the crook of the wall and the floor.

"_A head-on assault without a plan is a bad idea. His Chakra reserves are abnormally strong for someone who isn't a Tailed Beast. The amount of energy he can put out in a single swing of his blade is deadly and I doubt I can simply counter it everytime he swings it,_" He grimaced with continued thought. Looking down at his right hand, seeing traces of his fingers have slight burns from how close he had been to receiving damage from the last clash.

Gripping his palm tightly the Uchiha would notice trickles of blood oozing between the crevices of his palm, dripping lightly to the ground. Seeing the splatter of ichor on the dirty floor caused a light to flicker behind his eyes, and a smile to wryly stretch across his face. Standing up, Sasuke would close his eyes only for a moment before they'd reopen with Sharingan alight and with renewed determination.

"_Let's go!_" Sasuke thought, his body disappearing with a blinding flicker of movement, left with a haze of flames in his wake.

* * *

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" Ichigo groaned in sync with a rough scratch to his own head, "where the Hell did that guy disappear to?! I swear, fighting ninjas is a pain in my ass!"

Having roamed around the mostly abandoned, partially ruined city, Ichigo found himself traversed into the center of Takanaka Town. There, what would pass for a town hall, had spyre sitting atop its four pillar entranced structure containing. A westernized clock at the upper half of the building's mass. Other structures surrounding the village cobblestone square withheld businesses and banks of various ramshackle construction, giving it both a colorful and less than wealthy appearance.

The atmosphere felt damp, the air writhing of static, becoming perfect complements to the darkened skyline's impending storm looming overhead.

Then, the earth rumbled, creating seismic pressure enough to cause the Substitute Shinigami to lose footing and stumble forward. Bracing him with a downward thrust of his blade, what came next was a thunderous eruption of movement, causing his eyes to be directed in its direction.

Silhouetted in a blacker than night coat of armor came up from the town hall, seeming have been underground within the sewer until just now. Armored segmentations ten meters in length flowed across a serpentine body, half of which appeared to still be still in the city's underworks. A pair of flaps creating a hood for the sake would flourish outwards, revealing crimson commas spiraled in the recesses of the dark flaps of armor covered scales. Deep menacing crimson eyes glared down at the humanoid ethereal enemy, hissing loud enough to sound like exhaust from a large steam engine. Visibly standing atop the towering giant cobra would be Sasuke, glaring with equal vigor with Sharingan ablaze and hands clasped in the semblance of Summoning.

"_And now this asshole shows up...!_" Ichigo thought with mingled fear and frustration. Having seen that summoning beasts wasn't beyond humans who could call upon weaponry from the sky itself, he did little to question the idea that this was or wasn't beyond his enemy's capabilities.

"**You called upon me, Masssssster?**" The midnight accented cobra queried in a revered, booming tone, befitting of its colossal stature.

"Jadoku," Sasuke said in a detached, commanding tone, keeping his stance firm in preparation. "That man down there is our enemy. Kill him!"

"**As you command!**" Jadoku roared out, the sheer weight of his shout causing the ground below him to shake with enough pressure to shatter windows down below. Wisps of searing fiery tongues began to accumulate within a stretched maw only a snake could. What would emerge, like a cannon ball, would be a sphere of high velocity launched Fire Chakra down at Ichigo's direction. "**Katon, Kajihou!**"

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo shouted in opposition, having only been momentarily stunned by the giant cobra's shout, swinging his blade in a swiftly delivered arc. Watching his luminous arc of cutting energy strike the fireball, he'd find the quickly deployed technique of his would wrap briefly around the rocketing firebomb. Seconds later it'd explode in midair, halting dead in its tracks.

"It didn't go thr-SHIT!" Ichigo began to sputter, exclaiming loudly when he saw a secondary Kajihou roar across the air down towards him. With a propelling leap the Substitute Shinigami would take to the air, intending on making things difficult for the enormous serpent to get a bead on him.

What he didn't count on was that he'd be followed.

Without any prompt, Jadoku unfurled its body of the earth, producing a lengthy upheaval and destruction of the city's center. This allowed most of its body length to spear upwards, hissing loud enough to match an overhead roll of thunder. Within the time that it took Ichigo to reach the airspace that he had ascended to his enemy had followed up to be nearly eye-to-eye.

It had been mere moments that Ichigo relied on a discharge of Fullbrought air to spin his body out of the way of the enormous, lightning swift snapping jaws. Not wanting to remain close to the cobra's biting range he shot off like a rocket, down and around, landing in a instantaneous blurring motion courtesy of his Shunpo onto the armored back twenty meters below where its hooded head was.

"HA!" Ichigo roared out, driving a spiritually coated stroke of Zangetsu down atop the black plated back of Jadoku. A shower of azure and orange sparks would be had, along with a audible squelch as the edge of the Zanpakutou would find flesh through scales. Surprisingly the blade wouldn't do more than simply create an elongated gash and sear through the armor by a bare minimum.

"**Katon, Gouryaku no Jutsu!**" Given no time to contemplate the ill affects of his strike upon the giant serpent's back, he'd be forced to flee. Leaping to his left, opposite of which he had done from before, he'd narrowly evade a wafting jetstream of flames would flow harmlessly over the armored body of the serpent. Seeing Sasuke as the source, he could only glare at him for a moment before serpent turned its hooded head to glare even more heatedly at him.

"**Insect!**" Jadoku snarled out loud, swerving its upper body in tandem of adjusting the rest of his body for surprisingly swift movement for an enormously proportioned and armored snake. The motor functions seemed to visibly disorient Ichigo, as he tried to keep an eye on where the dark hood of the cobra would end of facing while the rest of the lengthy body was ignored. That is, until he saw a large segmented many-a-ton tail whipped around in a midnight blur, striking him at his right side with enough force to whip him down into the ground at a diagonal spin similar to a gunshot.

"Gah!" Ichigo coughed out blood along with the pain hissing between clenched teeth. For the first time since arriving blood began to snake down the right part of his orange scalp, dripping down his ear and neck. Part of his robes were tattered and stained from the debris dust of the collapsed building he had slammed into. Pushing a boulder sized partition of collapsed wall with his free hand, he looked up vehemently at the enormous snake and its summoner. "Bastard's going to pay for doing that!"

"Let's finish him off, Jadoku," Sasuke commanded in a even tone, already forming hand signs to weave the necessary Chakra for the finishing blow. The young Uchiha would rear his head back in sync with Jadoku's mouth widening, already priming another fireball within its expansive maw as Fire Chakra would swell within his master's chest.

Down below, Ichigo had also resolved to prime his own attack.

"Alright!" He shouted, grabbing his hands on the hilt of Zangetsu, bringing it around beside him to funnel forth what would be described as a vibrant stream of spiritual energy. A pyre of voluminous azure-golden hued light would sprout up from his body, spiraling up into the sky with enough friction that a shower of frantically sprouting electricity would crackle among the sky. What little structure remained of the house he had flattened became brittle at such fierce proximity and soon was blown away, swirling around the energized typhoon that the Shinigami was creating.

"W-What the Hell is he?!" Sasuke thought as he looked on with his Sharingan atop from his armored headed perch, seeing the column of Chakra transform into a masked effigy. It had teeth and seemed to smile a malicious grin, with red hollow eyes glaring back at him with a bloodlust he hadn't felt since...

"Get...su...ga," Ichigo slowly emoted the first word, his blade practically imbued with cobalt flames of spiritual energy.

Shaking off what hesitation he might have had, Sasuke reared his whole body forward, his foot clapping the metal plate he had his footing on. This would be the indication to attack for his Summon, whom roared out in unison, erupting a twin streams of orange-red tongues.

"**Konbijutsu, Satsujin Hienbou!**" Sasuke would audibly shout, his voice augmenting the twin geysers of fire that fused into a singular pillar of pressurized flames. His lips would seem to emanate embers from his verbally announcing lips, sizzling out of existence in the wake of the still spewing gout of orange-golden tongues roaring outwards. Combining his sizable flames with Jadoku's large discharge,

Ichigo would answer in kind, and violently so.

"**_TENSHOU!_**" Ichigo's voice howled over the choir of downward cracks of lightning and claps of thunder from the darkened heavens pierced by his column of spiritual power. But that would all pale in comparison to what was unleashed with a single two-handed swing of his Zanpakutou, unleashing the barely compressed cauldron of spiritual energy blazing from his sword. Cobalt tongues would dramatically transform into a vertically aligned crescent wave of compressed, shredding light, tearing a fiery trench down across the city while it'd envelop Sasuke's conceivable vista.

Jadoku nor his summoner would be able to even utter a howl of indignant rage or pain, taking the full brunt of the sapphire-white fissure. Horrendous cracks would be heard as the metal plates aligning the mighty cobra's body would be snapped off as its enormous body would be cut in a jagged half where aligned with the technique's path.

The rest of the Getsuga Tenshou's path would continue to tear through the city, cutting a large swathe of infrastructure and cityscape, producing a jagged horizontal wave of upheaved debris along the towering light's direction. It would roar forth, unable to halt its momentum even after it long since departed from the town's outer limits and tore into the forest beyond. Eventually the white blaze would peter away into nothing but a distant shower of blue sparks, leaving nothing but a kilometers' long trench that had debris and fire lining its most proximate perimeter.

Ichigo would stare at the terrible abyss his attack had created. Knowingly he had taken another of the Akatsuki into the abyss, it didn't cause guilt for the simple act of killing him to avenge those who fell by his hands. It was the ruin that would be left behind and knowing many have perished before he could stop such a madman.

Closing his eyes, he inhaled through his nostrils, standing tall to relax his stance.

"Guess that takes care of that," Ichigo nodded with certainty, turning his body to the right in preparation to head back to the others.

But then, he'd feel something searingly hot slide through his back and out through his abdomen. A shower of crimson splattered forth onto the indented gravelled ground before his feet long before the sound of hundreds of birds chirping in unison clicked into his ears. His eyes opened wide with shock as blood rushed up his throat, causing him to cough it out, oozing forth down his lower lip and chin.

Seeing the flattened row of digits sizzling out of his gut to the wrist, Ichigo would shakily turn his head to look over his shoulder. What he would see would be a pair of crimson eyes with triple commas, glaring up at him, seeming to send a throbbing sensation through his skull that wasn't a tangible pain but felt like a form of dominion over his mind. It was the eyes of a predator and he was the helpless prey.

"This battle is over," Sasuke said in a cold, level tone as he stared back at Ichigo's quivering gaze, his blood-red glare widening with murderous vigor. "you're finished!"

* * *

**Near Kabutomaru's Hideout, Nearly a Kilometer from the Battle**

"N-No way!" Neji whispered ghastly aloud, his Byakugan flaring over his brow line and his lavender eyes contracted. What he saw was unthinkable, especially after the things Ichigo had done and the feats he accomplished. Even that last attack seemed so insurmountably powerful he surely believed that Sasuke had been slain along with his Summon. Alas, even with his own visual prowess, he couldn't detect the difference between Sasuke's Shadow Clone and the real one that lied in wait for his enemy's guard to be lowered. "Ichigo is-!"

"Seems that way," Kabuto, aka K-7, said in a crisp even tone. Using a combination of the zoomed in lense vision his binoculars provided along with his own innate Sensory abilities he could tell what just happened. At least, a good intelligent guess as to what just transpired. "Ichigo lowered his guard down at the worst moment possible. Seems he didn't quite estimate Sasuke's abilities to plan these kind of strategies ahead of time..."

Clenching his fists, Neji couldn't help but grind his teeth together. Memories flashed before his mind's eyes, vague images without words but held the context to his current given situation.

"_It's true. Naruto's been captured by the Akatsuki, the one who destroyed the Village you bore witness near its close. The one named Pain..._"

**Not again!**

"_It's been too long since we've heard from our recovery squads. Naruto may be truly lost after all. I'm sorry, Neji, but that's probably the morbid truth of our given situation..._"

**No!**

"_You didn't hear? That loser Naruto was killed. I wish it had been me but I guess I can settle for the mindless flock he called friends!_"

**NO!**

A sudden thrust of Chakra generated at the pores of his feet would accelerate Neji forward from the given tile roofing, causing it to be unsettled with the rapidly accelerated movement. His body would appear upon the cobblestone street, feet barely tapping on top of its partially even layered surface, just before continuing in a dead-on sprint. His hair would flourish behind him as he'd be a blur of white and brown, arms flowing behind him with his head lowered to decrease wind resistance.

He had made a good thirty meters of distance before a sudden flicker of bodily movement would appear before Neji, causing his lavender eyes to widen and his teeth to stretch a visible snarl, "Move out of the way, lapdog!"

"I can't let you fight him!" K-7 insisted, his arms spread out and his body acting more as a barrier than a enemy taking up an aggressive stance, "his power is beyond your reach! He'll kill you for sure!"

"I do not care," Neji snarled aloud, waving a hand out with emphasized insistence, "stand aside or I will move you!"

"Think about what you are doing!" K-7 reprimanded with widened eyes of desperation, "if he gets a hold of you, he won't simply grant you a quick death! He'll use Genjutsu and force you to tell him where the rest of your friends are! Not just the ones beyond this city, but those who are hiding within Master Kabutomaru's barrier! Your cousin would be at risk! Is that what you want?!"

Even as these words tempered Neji's spite against him, he could see the self preservation lingering behind the pleas to keep his comrades safe. He wasn't doing this out of malicious intent but out of the common goal of not risking the incurring wrath that would follow his defeat.

Remembering what was at stake, however, caused him to shake his head and renew his glare at the subordinate of Kabutomaru, "You don't understand. Up to this point every skirmish we've waged against the Shinbu Corps, the Akatsuki, against Sasuke has all but been a delaying action. We need an ace in the hole to win against the likes of them. We _need_ Ichigo Kurosaki!"

The argument would be halted by a distant explosion, producing what would be seen as a visible pillar of flames dissipating into a mushroom cloud. Kabuto would look over his shoulder with an expression as equally shocked as what Neji's omniscient gaze held.

"T-This is-!" Neji would begin to utter just as a secondary flare of light would be emitted...

* * *

_Seconds ago..._

"**This fight is over! You're finished!**"

Those were the words that Ichigo felt as the Lightning Chakra infused hand would be forcefully slashed in a right angled arc, creating a cauterized bisection within his side. This would cause Ichigo to stumble a few steps forward, a hand finally reaching up to clench the sizable void of flesh and linen, now torn by the Chidori that had ruptured it so effectively.

Hacking up more blood, Ichigo would feel a sudden well burst forth to his pores, causing the points of agony to become fuel for an fire buried within his core. With sword in hand, Ichigo would turn around and swing it with incredible force, intending to cleave Sasuke in half. The sudden cyan-hued wind carried by the luminescently refracting cleaver's edge, using a strike of lightning overhead as a visual catalyst, would hit nothing but air.

"I can read you like a book," Sasuke would taunt as his knees tucked up to his chest, due to his well-timed evasive leap above the sword stroke. With a pump of powerful leg muscles, the soles of his sandals would hit the Substitute Shinigami dead in the face, creating an audible impact motion that would send him flying backwards. Before even touching the ground, Sasuke's eyes would predict the timing of his landing, allowing him to form a series of hand signs in a matter of a second before his covered soles would tap the ground.

"**Katon, Gouryaku no Jutsu!**" Sasuke roared out audibly, discharging a blazing sphere of fire to rocket towards the tumbling Ichigo, having his body smash into the surface of another crumbled house. What would occur after that would be a magnanimous eruption of flames, produced by the powerful Jutsu that was cast by the prodigal Uchiha.

But momentarily after the flames would reach its mark, a secondary flash of light, in the form of an enlarged blade would race towards him.

Alarmed, Sasuke sidestepped to the left, allowing the outer bottom tresses of his coat to be shredded by bare contact of the blazing column of shredding light. What his peripheral vision noted peculiarly was that a hilt was attached to its end, flinging forward at a powerful momentum. This momentarily offset Sasuke, his mind wondering why the sword left the swordsman, causing those eyes to drift towards the retreating column of bladed light and the origin of its creation.

Then, his eyes would look back forward, seeing the black linen-endowed digits curl into what was seen as a set racing knuckles. He barely would have time to turn his body into the direction of the offending fist, dampening the force, just short of the audibly painful collision struck his left jaw. His body would feel himself corkscrew through the air, the momentum carried past the punch's kinetic force tremendous enough to send him a good thirty meters.

The edges of his fingers would graze the uneven surface of the battle torn cityscape, using his Chakra to grapple the ground and slow his momentum down. He could only be thankful there were no standing structures within the first half mile around them, thanks to the enormous blast used a minute ago.

Raising his face, a visible purple swell would be shown over his left formerly immaculate cheek. A trickle of blood would flow out of the corner of his mouth, causing him to wipe it away as his keen eyes stared in wonderment at Ichigo's emerging condition.

Standing there with fist pointed forth was Ichigo, in the flesh, with only a few outlining burns caressing the edges of his fingertips and forearms. Where the hole was within his Shikhakushou and the bisected gash the Chidori had produced was nothing more than blood caked skin. Having been renewed back to a state one wouldn't believe would have suffered such a grievous wound.

"_Regeneration?!_" Sasuke thought as his mouth opened partially to emit a gasp of shock.

"That was a close call," Ichigo said aloud, audible enough that Sasuke could hear him over the expanse as he stood straighter and more imposing. "had I not Fullbrought some of those flames away, I might have had to take longer to recover before I could counterattack."

Sasuke could only sneer, taking in what was said and filling in the blanks to what he didn't know to explain what was only vaguely announced.

"_Capable of regenerating mortal wounds, nullifying or taming elements produced by his enemies if given enough time, and creating enough Chakra in the form of a tangible weapon that would be similar to what a Tailed Beast could project. What kind of monster am I dealing with?!_" Sasuke thought with indignation, rising up back to his own full height, staring down Ichigo from the distance that separated them.

Through a burst of Shunpo, Ichigo would appear not but a handful of meters from Sasuke. Reaching his hand out, the taller man would say in an even, if not too casual tone, "By the way, I'm pretty sure we weren't properly introduced earlier..."

An audibly singing of metal passing through the air would be heard by the young Uchiha. Leaping to the right, he'd see a black-silver blur of Zangetsu returning to Ichigo's hand. Arching up to rest the flat edge onto his right shoulder, Ichigo would glare coldly at Sasuke's direction, augmented by the silhouette of white and black cast by an overstriking current of lightning above his head. "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki, the Shinigami here to reap your soul."

"Sasuke Uchiha," Sasuke would respond in kind, feeling a bit obligated to someone who's forced him to use such effort in order to end him. In a matter of seconds a violet aura would bristle around his form, rustling his cloak and his raven locks. A single blink of the eye later would change crimson eyes with triple commas into a star aligned pair of deadly Mangekyou Sharingans; staring indifferently at him, with a callous projection of murderous intent. "the man who will have his vengeance, with your dying screams echoing my victory!"

* * *

**Kabutomaru's Laboratory**

He felt the verge of a breakthrough upon him.

Ever since the Shinigami and Neji had left his lab he had all but immediately dedicated his time on studying the vial of precious blood. He didn't know whether if he he'd have to forcefully evacuate himself due to the battle above spiraling out of control or if he'd have to intervene in some manner. With these thoughts on his mind, he busied himself on trying to figure out the exact genetic nature of his most recent _client_.

"What secrets do you have for me, hm?" Kabutomaru inquired aloud, sliding a piece of observation glass underneath a microscope. Pale fingers would adjust the potency of his lense, aiming to find the right settings to discover what he needed to from the small drop he aimed to examine.

Minutes would pass as faint tremors would rattle the bunker his lab was confined to. The only sounds he'd hear would be the pale scaled snake that hissed around his shoulders and the clicks of his adjustments made to the microscope. A look of thorough concentration, devoid of excitement or boredom, was expressed across his hood enshrouded visage.

It wasn't until the most recently rattling that his eyes widened at what he discovered. A gasp left his mouth and a bead of sweat flowed down his scalp. Backing away from the observation lense, he'd blink in confusion before returning to it once more, trying to confirm the authenticity to his find.

After staring for an elongated period of time, a dark grin spread across his face, followed by a series of throaty chuckles.

"I couldn't have come across a better find than this!" He said aloud, glancing in the direction of the vial he had carefully placed within a protective box upon his desk's countertop. "this could be it! The key to unlocking _the truth_!"

Tapping his temple, Kabutomaru focused his mental concentration at that precise moment. Within a handful of seconds, he had acquired attention of K-7, allowing his smile to return in earnest, "_K-7, status report!_"

A pause would be heard before an obedient response came over his mental link, "_Yes sir! The one known as Ichigo Kurosaki has been in battle since he left the hideout. While it appeared that Sasuke has been closer to victory over the course of this battle it appears that isn't the case. Ichigo's ability to persevere, even under pressure by the likes of an Uchiha, seems to be putting pressure on his enemy._"

"_It should be expected by such a powerful spirit,_" Kabutomaru nodded to himself, stroking his chin as a menacing glint of lab light refracted his spectacles. "_his power, as I can calculate, is on par with that of the Tailed Beasts. This makes him a resource that we cannot allow to slip through our fingers. Understand?_"

"_Yes sir,_" K-7 responded readily.

"_Good,_" Kabutomaru continued, his toothy grin shining as visibly as the crimson eyes of his serpent's eyes or the glint refracting off his glasses. "_here's what I want you to do..._"

* * *

**A/N:** And done! So sorry for taking so long. What with the most recent week to have elapsed being so difficult, it's been hard to motivate myself to write at certain days. Well, now it's here and I hope it doesn't disappoint ;)

And now, to answer all those who probably have been bottling this question inside or continue to ask this question, here's the answer: Ichigo is NOT a Quincy in this story. That plot twist as...interesting as it was to find out (if not predictably obvious of a plot twist for Kubo) is not going to take part in this storyline. My favorite form, other than his Fullbring Form, WAS in fact the Fullbrought Shinigami form and that form shall remain for the indefinite continuation of this story.

If you have any other questions that could lead to potential spoiler territory, I insist that you post them via PM. Any other more broader queries or observations may remain in the Review. This goes the same for misspells or grammatical quirks. If something seemed "off" to you, please post it via PM rather than in the bodily text of your Review. I read Reviews not to see mistakes I've made but rather your opinions and thoughts of the story itself. If at all possible, please pay attention to what I've said as it will be greatly appreciated

Hope to see you all again on the next chapter update of Reap the Pain!


	6. Becoming A Demon

**Reap the Pain**

* * *

**Two Years ago, Konoha's Main Gate**

Neji felt uneasy. Standing on guard near the gate of a tentatively rebuilt gate for Konoha, the prodigal Hyuuga could feel a tension in the air. The ominous sensation of a dark approach loomed over the Village. Dark clouds flourished occasionally over the night sky, casting darkness every so often, while the moonlight would allow a better view of oncomers to the Village.

"_Danzo hasn't returned back from the Summit_," Neji reiterated in his mind as he kept a sharp eye, more so than the guards lazily on opposing ends of the closed barricade. "_and none of the Anbu Units working in unison from Kumogakure's Anbu have reported. Not even Anko's Unit, who's been MIA since Naruto's kidnapping at the Invasion of Pain, has been spotted. We need to take action soon, or else we will lose what little we still have left_."

"Hey, Neji," One of the guards inquired, having stirred from his half-sleeping reclining position his back had to the sturdily locked gate, "why don't you tag out for the night? No use straining your eyes out at nothing."

"I'm fine," Neji curtly asserted, not even bothering to look back at his lax comrade.

"You know, you've been volunteering for guard gate duty every night for the past week. Maybe you should take a break and-"

"I said I'm fine!" Neji shouted, turning his head around to glare angrily over his left shoulder. Seeing both of his wakeful comrades recoil at his sudden tone shift, the Hyuuga sighed and turned his gaze back at the forest covered vista and the open road leading to their Village. "I am more than capable of watching the entire Village's perimeter if need be. Watching one flank of the Village hardly is worth my full energy. You don't need to be concerned for..."

The Hyuuga trailed off as he noticed a glimmer of light refraction, just shy of notice as another clout of darkness flowed over the road's vista. Narrowing his eyes, Neji began to walk forward, leaving perturbed Shinobi guards in his wake.

"Hey! You need to calm down! He was just only suggesting it so you could take a break," The other guard defended the prior, waving a hand in an angry manner at Neji's back.

"There's something coming this way," Neji muttered aloud to himself, his brow lines already sprouting bulging veins. When his Byakugan fully activated, the world dampened color and exchanged it for a dark vista with azure flickering lights, indicating the signatures of Chakra within his near perfect omnidirectional vision.

A series of bright flickering lights sped towards him, like meteorites across the horizon. And they were gaining fast.

"Someone is coming and fast!" Neji exclaimed, causing the irate pair of guards to suddenly stiffen and look alert.

"Is it one of our own?" One asked.

"How many are there?" The other inquired.

"Three of them, all with high levels of Chakra. They're moving way too fast to be-!" Neji suddenly flinched, seeing something in the distance along the road sprinting oncomers.

Audible cracks could be heard and one could see the silhouettes of three cloaked individuals running low to the ground towards them. What came along with them would be seen as a pair of trees, each of them being a dozen meters high and at least two to three meters thick. All of them seemed to be flying in a horizontal manner, rapidly hurtling like missiles towards the Konoha gate with inhuman guided accuracy and lethal momentum.

"MOVE!" Neji shouted aloud to the two dazed Shinobi behind him. His body, already dashing forward, moved to duck underneath the foremost center of the trio launched trees. He could feel the wind gust over his declined head, his hair whipping around wildly as he sprint forward without halting.

Emerging from underneath the hurtling battering ram projectiles, Neji saw two of the silhouetted figures rush past him just outside of his reach. Racing forth he'd reach the one responsible for thrusting the trees, just as the moonlight glistened past the cover of clouds that overcast the land below.

A crown of orange spiky hair was seen, complemented with a pale visage perforated with a number of piercings along his face. Haunting rivulets of violet rippled out like a pool within the center of his eyes, staring at him impassively as he charged forward. A cloak of midnight hue flapped along with his own sprint, painted crimson clouds outlined in white emblazon the torso and lower recesses of his attire.

Cueing a thunderous crash of the gate being obliterated by the trio of hurtling trees, many meters behind Neji's backside, echoed over the inaudible slaps of wrists derailing incoming palm-heel thrusts from both combatants. With both Doujutsu users practically a foot away, vehement glare to eerie stare, took in each other's visages. With a quick scope of his Byakugan, he could see his comrades engage the similarly hair colored and draped individuals in one on one combat, simultaneously avoiding a follow-up left hook and right roundhouse kick by his own enemy.

"_Crimson clouds on black cloaks. All three bearing an eerie Chakra. Capable of inhuman feats. There's no mistaking it,_" Neji concluded mentally, palming an incoming punch by the enemy while thrusting a palm-heel thrust towards his face, "_these Akatsuki are the ones who attacked the Village!_"

Craning his neck to the side to avoid the strike, the Rinnegan user grasped Neji's wrist, keeping them both deadlocked to each other. As he stared with his piercing ringed eyes, he let out a exhale of realization, "You have the same eyes as her..."

"Who?" Neji inquired briefly, unable to understand at the moment what this man meant.

"...the one I struck down in order to invoke pain in Naruto Uzumaki," the Leader of the Akatsuki proclaimed in an unapologetic declaration, "Hinata of the Hyuuga, wasn't it?"

"You-!"

"**Shinra Tensei!**" Tendo Pain proclaimed in that instant.

Neji's shock-ridden exclamation was cut off by the sudden sight of a spike in his enemy's Chakra. In that moment the air itself seemed to invisibly fluctuate and sporadically be blasted back by an invisible wall of force. Neji felt his body get hit by the brunt of it, his body carried backwards by the kinetic discharge that tore the ground underneath his sprawling form.

"Ngh!" Neji grunted as he righted himself in the air. Flipping himself upright to dig his heels along the ground a dozen meters away from where Pain sent him flying from.

"Impressive you endured a Shinra Tensei point blank," A female voice spoke from his five o'clock, earning a partial turn of his head. Despite being unfamiliar with the appearances of the Paths of Pain, Neji found an unnerving resemblance from the one his omnidirectional gaze locked upon.

The Path was female in gender, having bright orange hair as customary with the other paths and donned in a full overcoat typical of the Akatsuki ranks. Her bangs were combed to the right side of her face, only allowing the view of the middle and left side. While the twin pair of receiver piercings along the bridge of her nose nor the line of spiked receivers piercing the outer ear to ring around what almost seemed like an earpiece of receiver metal was not normal, it was the facial structure that made her all too memorable. The once pleasant blue eye was replaced by a Rinnegan, staring hauntingly dispassionate towards Neji where they once held a fire and passion behind them.

"Ino!" Neji gasped aloud, now realizing among those who were declared dead or MIA was in fact the young Yamanaka part of Team Asuma.

"So you recognize this body?" Ningendou Pain responded curiously, currently placing a foothold on one of the guards. His body was lifeless, his facial expression resembling one of shock as fluids leaked copiously from an agape mouth. There didn't seem to be any marks other than a few bruises, making his unexplained death all the more unnerving. "Ningendou was beyond repair when I had one of my subordinates discreetly retrieve the Paths that were defeated by Nine Tails Jinchuriki. I had to make do with a Kunoichi with skills she had in life compatible to that of Ningendou's."

"You sacralize even my comrades' bodies for your own use?! You Akatsuki disgust me, and by far you are the worst of them all," Neji glared forward, seeing Tendo Pain approach in a slow, methodical manner towards him, "Pain!"

"Konoha Shinobi have no place to talk. The horrors you've unleashed upon my Land makes any pain I inflict upon your Village a trifle manner in comparison," Tendo Pain deflected readily.

"This retribution will not be interrupted by a savior where this is none," Chikushoudou Pain continued, earning Neji's slight turn of the head to regard the second female Path. Having just finished snapping the neck of the last Konoha guard, the Path Kunoichi tossed his body aside, walking towards Neji from the opposing end at his seven o'clock side. "before the night ends, there will be no Konoha to rebuild."

"That's what you think!" Neji snarled, his body swiftly leaning forward and aligning his arms in the appropriate angles. A vicious glare adorned his Byakugan primed visage, his teeth bared and veins bulging across his brows. He took in each approaching Path with precarious caution and precise counting.

Raising a outstretched right hand up towards Neji, Tendo Pain began to utter aloud, "Give in to your demise, Konoha Shinobi!"

In that moment, before any action could be acted by either of the three Paths, a sudden discharge of billowing smoke flowed out from underneath Neji. This created a voluminous smoke cloud, swirling around for a gait beyond a dozen meters. This would catch all three corpse puppets off guard, as their sight of the Hyuuga began to be cut off at that very moment.

"**Two Palms!**"

Then he reappeared in front of Tendo Pain, striking both spots of his outstretched wrist.

"**Four Palms!**"

Dizzyingly he'd blur within the smoke cloud and palm two more opposing hands of the two other Paths. Subsequently when they tried to summon forth Chakra through their hands, they found they were unable to.

"**Eight Palms! Sixteen Palms!**" Neji repeated aloud, his body moved like a wraith within the spiraling dust cloud he used for cover. His fingers jabbed violently and swiftly into each Chakra Point of the Paths, each impact creating audible snaps with visible contractions that shut off and overloaded various pathways their Chakra Network possessed.

"**Sixty Four Palms!**" Neji continued, followed up with a rapid deployment of sprinting to and fro between the three bodies, hammering away at their bodies' vitals. With a audible series of continuous bodily cracks, Neji skidded back into his assumed posture. Doing so caused a dispersal of air that caused the entire cover of dust be released, revealing Neji as if he hadn't moved at all, while the spasming trio of Paths keeled over onto their backsides, "**One Hundred Twenty Eight Palms!**"

Standing upright, Neji breathed out a long exhale of content. Turning his Byakugan eyes towards each of the Paths he could see their Chakra networks were effectively shut down. None of them seemed to find the capability of moving or the will to invoke a Jutsu to escape.

"From what the data I've studied on them, it seems these are only three of six that assaulted Konoha. If these are here, where are the others?" Neji queried. With this thought in mind, he decided to expand his visual prowess to encompass Konoha, aiming to scour various areas he was not in at the moment.

What he see didn't bode well at all.

To the north he witnessed the familiar Chakra signature of Kisame, finishing his work on cutting down the sentries and passing through the barrier that kept him out of the Village. From what he could tell it wasn't a fake either, as his monstrous Chakra was much too strong for any initial defender to handle. He'd enter and wreak havoc long before anyone could halt his progress.

To the south he noticed was the masked man whom kept them from reaching Sasuke. He deftly evaded being caught or touched by his opposition, killing them or outright passing through them as if they didn't exist. Not even bothering to leap he seemed to pass through the wall of the Village as if it was an illusion in of itself.

What he saw up above the Village caused him to grimace.

The remaining three paths, riding one of the avian Summons called upon by the Animal Path, was just above the sensory barrier their Village projected. The Asura Path detached an arm to let loose a series of missiles, allowing them to spiral down in the wake audible screeches, before detonating sporadically across the Village's rebuilt structures. After the heavy bombardment, the Preta and Naraka Paths would leap with their Asura bodied comrade, descending like reapers aiming to have their fill of life within the panic-ridden Village.

Even farther within the Village, someone was already laying waste to opposition. First by spiking his Chakra deliberately within the Hokage Mansion, Neji could tell what was left of the Village Council was being targeted.

"I've got to reach them!" Neji thought with urgency, his body already flickering forth, producing the wake of a Body Flicker.

Unbeknownst to him, those of the Paths he had subdued wouldn't linger on the ground for long. Rising upright to their feet in an eerie fashion befitting their corpse status, the Paths were stretched and roll their bodies in a testing manner. Finding that their bodies were performing as expected, Ningendou was the one to speak.

"It seems that the Chakra Resuscitation worked as expected," She said in a off-handed manner, clenching and unclenching her hands experimentally.

"Let us proceed forward, then," Tendo Pain said forthright, breaking out into a sprint, soon to be followed by the other two Paths, "onward to Konoha's destruction!"

* * *

**The Sixth Chapter -c 卐 ɔ-Becoming A Demon**

* * *

Neji beheld destruction in his all-seeing eyes. As the battle's ante increased so too was the destruction within the pair's wake. Standing structures that had been left standing became new collateral targets in their rampage. Fiery pillars and thunderous shockwaves echoed their exchanges, numbering up to the dozens as their fierce flurry continued.

"This battle seems like it could go both ways," K-7 mused aloud, speaking what he presumed to be mutual thoughts that the Hyuuga had been thinking. "this Shinigami, Ichigo, has a knack for being unpredictably tenacious."

"So is Sasuke," Neji muttered with a visible scowl, "if anyone is as terrifyingly resilient in the face of what had seemed like imminent defeat it would be him."

"Discounting either of them at the moment seems foolhardy then," K-7 nodded, witnessing another distant thunderous combustion of debris and chakra distilled wind. Casting a light refracting glance at Neji's side, he could only shrug and inquire peacefully. "why don't we keep at this distance? I doubt they'd pay any mind if we were even remotely on their outlying senses-"

"No," Neji said firmly, balling his hands tightly at his sides. "we have to get closer. Discreetly."

"You're dead set on protecting this man you can barely call a friend, let alone an ally," Kabutomaru's subordinate sighed belatedly, stating it as more of fact than a question. "it isn't like you to be so careless."

"I'm not careless. I just know someone with the potential for good and the power capable of tearing down this dark world we've been plunged into," Neji responded coolly. Turning his face to look at K-7 directly, he then added with a wry smile, "then again, I think it's more of a Naruto thing to trust someone like him."

All K-7 could do was stare in bewilderment at Neji. The surprise had quickly be dispersed by another cacophony of distant explosive clashes, forcing his gaze to turn away from Neji's. A small smile stretched across his face as he stroked his chin with thought, "Yes. I'm sure you're right about that..."

* * *

"NGH!" Ichigo exclaimed with pain-mingled fury, feeling his body crash through the foundational wall of a house. Rolling to a skidding halt onto smashed cobblestone pavement, Ichigo began to raise his sword up with both hands in a defensive posture. The breaths that filled his lungs had he had taken had been only for a few moments before a lancing fissure of violet light would slice through the air, forcing him to brace it at a diagonal angle with the flat of his weapon.

"_This guy doesn't let up for a second!_" Ichigo thought with a growl, his glare staring past the field of orange-yellow sparks spraying from the clash of energy and steel.

With a strained heave, Ichigo shoved the crooked blade of spectral energy to the right, allowing it to grind into the ground beside him. Kicking off the ground the Shinigami hurtled himself in an upwards leaping arc towards the vague aura hidden by the debris cloud formed by the demolishing of the house. Lighting up his Zanpakutou with Spirit Energy, he swung it down with both hands to cleave his way through his enemy in a single blow.

A dramatic clang of energy endowed blade meeting a molded Chakra blade breached the fog of war separating the two. While the Substitute hung in the air with both hands on his sword, alight with the flow of his churning spirit energy, Sasuke had been standing below him in a shroud of vile hued Chakra. Horns sprouted from a colossal skeletal avatar, muscular tissue with purple coloration entwined in between various bones, all burning with a dark sensation oozing into the air. One arm held aloft a blade of Chakra in the shape of a crooked broadsword with no guard, easily being four times larger than Zangetsu, pressuring up at the opposing weapon with equal vigor.

"Even with Susano'o," Sasuke began to speak behind the body of his monolith creation, his star-shaped eyes gleaming upwards with a focused glare at his enemy, "you continue to match me in power. What a terrifying spirit you truly are, Shinigami."

"**Getsuga**," Ichigo began to shout aloud, virulent flames of spiritual energy blazing from the edge of his cleaver. Pulling his blade down, he began to unleash the fissure of shredding light, aiming to break his way through to his nemesis. "**Tenshou!**"

It was during this downward stroke, however, that he felt his body and trajectory of aim thrust a dozen meters to his left. The result had been a flash of azure that tore a large trench into the earth, furthering the various cuts he made into the land they left in their clashing wake. Bowling over in the air, Ichigo reached out with a free hand to claw at the air, Fullbringing it to steady himself in an upright manner.

By the time he halted his midair sprawl he'd be greeted by a diagonal slash of the Susano'o's right handed blade. A searing wave of pain was felt across the Shinigami's chest as cloth gave way to the laceration the energy blade's edge inflicted on his torso. Roaring through the pain, Ichigo charged forward, diving head first past the retaliating secondhand thrust by the Susano'o.

A mere meter away from landing his stab at the flesh endowed ribs of the ghostly guardian, a third arm materialized underneath the right side. During its formation it would slam its giant clenched fist to punch into Ichigo's left side. The impact would cause a seismic clap of force to quake the ground and rattle the air, the victim's body bowing along with the incoming path of knuckles.

Then, with a dramatic release of pressure, Ichigo's body tossed around in the air sideways. Like an artillery shell, his body crashed through another structure and into a street behind its collapsing foundation with a thunderous smash. If one were in the Shinigami's shoes they'd hear the audible ringing his skull felt from that punch alone.

"_With him at this distance_," Sasuke thought, his body turning left at a ninety degree angle to face the far off and slowly rising enemy, "_I can use Susano'o's second state!_"

With this in mind the avatar looming over and around Sasuke shifted to change in shape. Armor began to manifest through ignition of purple hued tongues of Chakra, folding over the flesh and skeletal bodied spectre. By the time it had been finished, the construct would resemble more of a demonic archer with glowing eyes, an arrow & bow was respectively adorn each hand.

"Damn," Ichigo growled as he rose back up, feeling as much as he heard the bones in his arm and ribs fix themselves, "I'm getting my ass kicked here. This ja-oh hell!"

Catching himself in mid anger-ridden speech, Ichigo taken notice of the distant yet recognizably archer mode his enemy had just became. With the fiery spiritual arrow pulled taut back against the intricately designed bow, it had to be let loose in the wake of the atmosphere popping. The air warped around the projectile launched, cracking and billowing the ground that it roared above as it headed towards its intended target.

Lighting up his blade with Spirit Energy, Ichigo swung his blade towards the high velocity attack. In addition to the pressure of his sword swing and the excess coat of energy particles coating its surface, he ensured the path of the arrow be diverted by discharging an emerald gleam of light from his sword as well. Fullbringing the air the fast moving projectile crossed over to the range of his sword, allowing him to bat it away to the right.

In the wake of a distant explosion via Susano'o arrow, Ichigo heightened the aura of light shrouding Zangetsu. Rearing back his arm, he withdrew his sword closer to his frame, creating a menacing silhouette to christen him among the dark ruined street he took a stand on. With a dramatic thrust, Ichigo roared aloud, "**Getsuga Kusaishou!**"

The enlarged blade of light formed before ultimately slicing through the air, extending at an indefinitely swift rate. But to the beholder who was using Sharingan, it might as well been a underhanded toss of a rock instead of a beam blade.

"Your movements are becoming more and more predictable," Sasuke muttered lowly. Hopping to the side, his Susano'o copying his agile movements with ease to allow both bodies to avoid the lunging attack. It was when the blade halted its spearing movement that Sasuke eyed the blade construct with shock, "why isn't it moving?!"

Looking briefly towards the wielder, he could see Ichigo kept a firm grip on the blade in its thrusting position. A distant expression equivalent to a smirk donned upon Ichigo's visage as he turned the blade to be horizontally aligned in Sasuke's direction.

The expression on Sasuke's face was priceless as his star-shaped eyes witnessed the extended blade rush full force towards him and his Susano'o. Through a blur of upward moving violet light, the blade of azure-white energy tore across the air and cut thoroughly through a line of standing structures without remorse. With the blade pealing away, Ichigo noted that there was no sign of Sasuke, renewing his state of nearly passive alarm.

Shrieks of multiple splits of air pockets above him dictated his enemy's location, causing his head to incline sharply to witness a horrific sight. Sasuke had leaped upwards, Susano'o and all, and had just launched a wave of arrows. While smaller by a third the size, each one was at least as thick and long as his arm, moving at a much faster pace than the one he fired prior.

Ichigo's eyes widened and his mouth agape, even long before his body began to crouch into the stance he'd use to flee the barrage of pressurized spirit arrow attacks. In the wake of their multiplied impacts, his body blurred through the various uproars of earthen destruction and cobblestone pavement. The widespread damaged indented the ground of various demolished homes and collapsed structures where Ichigo would have been, sending a shockwave to rattle all nearby untouched parts of Takanaka Town.

Landing back down onto the ground, Sasuke peered through the haze of smoke his his piercing glare. His stoic visage analyzed a stumbling Ichigo merely a dozen meters away from his stance. From what he saw, he had some form of satisfaction from his last attack.

"Ngh!" Ichigo grunted as he walked forward, blood profusely splattering and pooling with every step he took. Gaping holes enamored his midriff and lower abdomen, while chunks of flesh were torn off along his left arm and left leg. Even as his flesh began to sinew and reform, the pained expression on his face was not lost to his enemy nor was the few beads of sweat travelling down his scalp.

"_His regeneration is starting to take a toll on him_," Sasuke noted with narrowed eyes, hidden behind the veil of protection his Susano'o encased him in. "_Shinigami or not, he apparently has the rudimentary similarities to that of a human. If he can't focus, he can't use that abnormal power to bend the elements or environment around him. This goes the same for regeneration, otherwise he had simply ignore those wounds due to their less than lethal status_. _Passive wounds are the only kind and one of a high grade to keep him off balance._

"_Which in this case_," Sasuke concluded, closing both eyes, causing the Susano'o around him to disappear in a wafting motion of violet Chakra tongues. When he reopened the left one, it'd be his triple-prong Sharingan, as he'd finish aloud, "I'll have to use _this_ technique!"

* * *

It was this moment that Ichigo chose to renew his initiative, and lunged to attack.

"I won't let you!" Ichigo shouted aloud, kicking off the ground to charge towards Sasuke. Raising his blade upwards, the ragged Shikhakushou adorned Shinigami slashed it downwards, bisecting the Shinobi's statuesquely still form. Cutting it as if his body was made of butter, Sasuke's face had contorted a brief flash of pain before a geyser of blood sprayed outwards and splatter over Ichigo and the ground around him.

Oddly, the blood didn't stop discharging from the bisected corpse.

Much to Ichigo's horror, blood began to spew out of Sasuke's mouth like a hose, creating a rainfall of dark ichor to flow over him. The sickly liquid continued to paint a mantle of red to cover his frame, making him feel nauseous as he backed away from the contorting origin of blood spouts.

"The fuck is this?!" Ichigo swore aloud, stumbling back away from Sasuke's body, finding his heels tripping back over some loose rubble, feeling himself splash in the lukewarm liquid. Rising up at a abnormal rate, the liquid soon began to reach heights it shouldn't have, long since burying the origin of the blood as the rain continued to pour down on Ichigo.

Reaching upwards the Substitute could do nothing but claw at the rapidly diminishing surface, finding his nostrils and throat clogged with blood that seeped in without permission. Darkness threatened to cloud his mind as well as his sight, his body drifting into an abyss of damning despair and emptiness. It was all he could do to think of a way to escape and survive.

A single hand reached towards the dimming light as his eyes begin to close, his body descending into the mass of blood.

Then, that hand was grabbed and firmly by a stronger source.

"_**ICHIGO!**_"

"W-What?!" Ichigo blinked away the dark ichor, finding himself seeing a figure horizontally aligned above him. He seemed to be pulling him upwards, up towards the vague light at the top of what he assumed was this ocean of blood. When he'd look over his shoulder, Ichigo had noted through the murky liquid the black and white tresses flourishing behind a older man, draped in a dark black coat with white fur tresses around his collar and sleeves, similarly adorned above the cuffs of his boots. Dark shades with white outlines was seen as he'd glare down at him with black and yellow eyes on respective sides of his visage. "Zangetsu?!"

"_**THIS IS ALL AN ILLUSION! DO NOT ALLOW DOUBT CLOUD YOUR PERCEPTION OF REALITY**_!" His voice thrummed through, seeming to cause the murkiness to dim and the sensation of blood slowly exude his pores. Everything seemed to boil and dissipate around them both, as Zangetsu became the most pinnacle form of light and darkness in his eyes. Pulling him forward, he thrust Ichigo into the sky of crimson, shouting at him as the world around him vanished, "_**THE ONLY ILLUSION IS THE REALITY WHERE HE SEES YOU LYING DEAD AT HIS FEET**__**! YOU ARE THE ONE TO MASTER YOUR OWN FATE!**_"

* * *

In that moment, Ichigo's eyes blinked and perceive the world as it should be. Finding himself standing in the exact place where he was prior to his supposed attack on his enemy. Not taking a moment to take in the scenery and what just happened, Ichigo reasserted himself by kicking off the ground to charge at Sasuke.

"_Thanks, Zangetsu!_" Ichigo thought with reverence, his sword held lowly with both hands as he accelerated himself towards Sasuke.

To Sasuke, the situation he thought that bought him enough time quickly dwindled to nothing more than a small delay. Having been only able to weave a few hand signs in that he counted to be a handful of seconds, the Genjutsu he thought that had paralyzed his enemy for a good few minutes at the very least was rendered useless. His illusion shattered, all he could see was an enraged Shinigami heading towards him at maximum speed and sword in both hands.

"_I won't finish the Jutsu in time!_" Sasuke concluded inwardly, seeing Ichigo raise the blade over his head as he crossed into his personal space, towering over him.

"You're mine!" Ichigo shouted as he swung his blade downwards.

It was when Sasuke abandoned the semblance of handsigns altogether and simply stared upwards at Ichigo's aggressive frame that something seemed off. Less than a second later, his body began to appear and disappear, causing Ichigo's attacking form to give pause. The next instant later, a uppercutting kick striked him straight in the chin, packing enough power send him hurtling up in a spiral ascent.

Still feeling disoriented by the kick to the jaw that rattled his skull, Ichigo felt his body spiral downwards, unaware of the swiftly leaping Shinobi that reached his altitude within a moment. Grappling him in a criss-cross fashion with his ankles around Ichigo's neck, Sasuke gripped onto Ichigo's shins as he'd dive downwards. Without remorse, Ichigo was pile drived straight into the ground he uncontrollably slam into.

Even though he could feel Ichigo twitch and spasm from physical contortions to the pain and certainly bone stressing move he pulled, Sasuke pulled back away from his enemy. Distancing himself away through a series of backflips, he ensured that every moment he did so he was weaving hand signs for the prepared Jutsu he had in mind. Landing fifteen meters away from fallen Shinigami, Sasuke formed a funnel with his two hands, as if he was to blow air through it.

"_I've only got one shot at this,_" Sasuke thought as a bead of nervous sweat crawled down his scalp.

Wrenching himself out of the indented ground, Ichigo stumbled to and fro till he stood tall with his back to Sasuke. Placing a hand on the crook of his neck, he gave a violent thrust and an audible snapping sound could be heard. Rolling his head around in opposing directions, the Substitute sighed with relief as he wiped blood off his brow and away from his prieviously shattered nose.

"_I think that fall broke my neck and my nose. It's a good thing I wasn't doing anything else, otherwise I might have blacked out without my Hollow powers_," Ichigo mentally noted with thankfulness.

When the air distorted around the strawberry man's pores, giving the impression of warping static disrupting the visual spectrum, that he truly was given pause. Ichigo had turned his head around to see the air crackle and distort around the funnel shapes his hands were contorted in. It looked like a highly concentrated form of his earlier Chidori techniques but becoming more of a charge than a focused weapon.

"_I don't know how long my regeneration can last against any more techniques of his_," Ichigo thought with a visible scowl. Spreading apart his legs, he raised his sword upwards, igniting his person with another pillar of earth rattling azure spiritual energy. Thrumming the air, the Shinigami glared back at the focused pair of Sharingan eyes that distantly stared back at him. Grasping the hilt of his blade with both hands, he declared inwardly, "_I'm going to hold nothing back!_"

The air seemed to warp between the two opposing forces, imminent to clash and wrestle fate to deliver victory to one or the other. A torn and ragged Shikhakushou flourished just as much as a mud ridden and worn black cloak from the fierce winds flapping against their visages. Black bangs furrowed over crimson star patterned eyes while orange locks danced over hazel orbs.

A single long inhale took place from Sasuke just as Ichigo let out a loud exhaling shout from Ichigo.

"_**GETSUGA TENSHOU!**_"

The downward heave with both hands was let loose a massive crescent shaped pyre of shredding light fly forth from his Zanpakutou. The ground had been grounded many meters further, the air buckling and sending debris flying like shrapnel on either flank of the luminous cobalt blaze. Roaring forth it had seemed to possess no opposition capable of standing in its wake.

Then, Ichigo would exhale with audible statement, as the amassed Chakra would billow forth through the funnel of electrically manipulated digits and palms had contested. The voice spelling out Sasuke's own return.

"**Shinseiton, Ryuujin Hibomu no Jutsu!**"

* * *

**Breathtaking. **

In the eyes of Neji it was to be the second time he'd see the colossal technique of Ichigo's. A form of Chakra that was let loose with the pressurized release of a sword swing, combining raw physical power with purified Chakra in of itself. The technique, while possessing various states of power, was undeniable volatile and could have the capacity of being an enlarged Chakra blade itself.

"_It's like nothing I've ever seen. No Shinobi could ever amass this kind of Chakra and turn it into a lethal weapon!_" Neji thought with an open mouth, his visage practically shining with the not too distant flames Ichigo's Chakra was creating. Ducking over a mound of debris and uprooted earth, Neji could only stare in wonderment with the aid of his Byakugan and see that it was to be an end to all attacks.

Glancing over at K-7, staring down the lenses of his trusty binocular, it seemed that the very sight of such a power unnerved him as well. Beads of sweat crawled down his scalp and he occasionally licked his lips to stifle any sign of visible agitation of being so close to the fight. The Hyuuga knew he would rather watch from a safer distance than what he picked, but he wouldn't have him skulking out of arm's reach.

But that train of thought derailed when he saw the opposing force barreling towards Ichigo's released Getsuga Tenshou. It seemed to cause the entire technique to bow and flare outwards like a net failing to wrap around a large catch. What was invisible to the naked eye short of a gale force of pressurized steam would be something terrifying to Neji's eyes.

A Oriental shaped dragon with an open maw was seemingly devour and pierce through the blaze of pure Chakra light as if it was nothing but a futile barrier. Flowing forth it would dissolve the technique in a matter of seconds, causing the flaring azure tongues to bow back the other direction entirely. The white haze of focused Chakra flames seemed to shine like the Sun as it overtook the Getsuga Tenshou entirely and roared forth with an open mouth consuming over Ichigo's person entirely.

"_No!_" Neji thought as he saw what was to be the impossible.

The Getsuga Tenshou has failed!

* * *

A scream had been insufficient to project the amount of pain emitting from Ichigo's being. One moment he had launched his max powered Getsuga Tenshou and the next it seemed to just be blown away by something he couldn't see. But he certainly could feel it; and the flesh torn off his bones did before losing to a numbing sensation where it didn't hurt the worst.

With the edge of Zangetsu burrowed into what was seen as dissolved earth, Ichigo had barely notice that the entire ground behind and around him had seemed to be evaporated. No uneven trench or mound of debris was be left untouched, seemingly blown to annihilation in the wake of Sasuke's technique. A technique he could only describe as hotter than the flames of Hell.

The source of the wake of literal evaporation obviously was Sasuke, still having his hands cupped in front of his mouth. Drops of sweat beaded down as he heaved, obviously having to exert a lot of his own Chakra to use such a Jutsu. But as he analyzed Ichigo's form and the damage he had done.

"Not healing so fast this time, are you?" Sasuke openly jeered, his normally stoic face now stretching to a semblance of a smirk.

It was true. His Shikhakushou kosode and parts of the Hakama skirt were blown off his body, with only paltry amounts of black linen clinging to his seared body. Shins and thighs were smoldered to a black and dark red hue, ebbing up steam from portions that ravaged muscle and ligaments were visible. His torso that heaved with tremendous effort exposed several ribs over the most blackened parts of his body, while his upper and lower halves were darkened to a black-red pigment, also smelling of cooked flesh. Even parts of his neck leading up to his jaw displaying expose his teeth and stretched muscles barely holding his face together. Arms seemed the least damaged, withholding only minor severe burns rather than the rest of his body possessed, though that mattered little in the grand scope of things.

"I'm surprised you're still standing," Sasuke remarked aloud, receding his stance for a more upright one as he examined him from a distance. "despite the damage you still have the will to live and resist. What a fool you really are. Denying the inevitable just makes it all the more painful."

"Sh...Sh..." Ichigo tried to murmur, his downcast his head hiding his upper visage.

"Hm?" Sasuke inclined his head to the left, curious as to what his enemy had to say.

"S-Sh...ut...up!" Ichigo hissed out, his eyes glaring with an eerie golden hue. "I'm...sick...of he-he-he...hearing...that...shit...c-c-coming...o-out of your...mo-mo-mouth!"

Slowly before his enemy's eyes, chords of muscular tissue began to wind up and around each other, pulling up new flesh in place of what was burned away. Visibly twitching from the pain caused by this very form of healing, Ichigo could feel his legs buckling. Even the partially earth burrowed Zangetsu rattled uncontrollably in his right hand as beads of sweat manifested across what pores that were capable.

"_This tenacity of his is becoming more annoying by the second_," Sasuke thought with a visible contorted snarl. Closing his eyes, they'd quickly flash into the star-shaped patterns of Mangekyou, only this time flaring up to a wider extent. Mentally he had called out with finality, "_**Amaterasu!**_"

Just as soon as particular wounds began to be sealed, most notably around his face and chest, they spewed forth tongues of black flames. A guttural wheezed be the best that Ichigo made out, feeling his body writhe on his feet before falling to his knees. With his free hand reaching up to grasp the fire that manifested over his face and chest, he aimed to remove them before they could further damage upon him.

But his enemy was not so merciful to allow him.

Clapping his hands together, Sasuke's left eye contracted, causing the flames upon Ichigo's body to start spearing through his flesh form the inside out. Spikes formed across his limbs and chains engulfed his torso and neck, furthering down his legs down to his ankles. In a matter of seconds his body blazed with a black fiery prison, burning his regenerative flesh while restricting his movements entirely.

"**Enton, Nenshoukan no Jutsu!**" Sasuke uttered aloud.

"Agh! Gaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Ichigo howled aloud, his body convulsing in place. He could feel an endless cycle of burning and regeneration deadlock his existence. He knew that he'd eventually break and wouldn't be able to survive under the searing heat this inferno cage that pierced his body. Yet, for the most insane of reasons, he wouldn't relieve his rattling grip off of his sword nor surrender his consciousness.

"You continue to persevere. Incredible," Sasuke mused aloud, finding himself amazed how the Shinigami continued to resist dying. He almost reminded him of someone else he knew. Someone from a life he long since cast away.

Bowing his head, the Uchiha gritted his teeth as his fists audible ground into audible snapping sounds. Reaching back to grasp the hilt of his sword, Sasuke unsheathed it in a slow and methodical manner as he likewise approached his bound nemesis. Black flames began to trail along the edge of his katana, eerily ebbing tongues upwards as Sasuke's dark silhouetted frame approached the tortured man's kneeling frame.

"I won't take any chances with you," Sasuke pulled back his sword up and his elbow just below his chin, "I'll cut your head off and ensure any regenerating cells are instantly burned away."

A single swing of the sword and Sasuke muttered lowly, "Farewell~"

Mere inches from meeting its mark that the sudden feeling of pressure struck his right flank. A wall of familiar force sent him flying off his feet, careening hard onto his left shoulder a good six meters away. Rolling with the shockwave's power, Sasuke skidded to the ground and refocus his gaze at the intruder.

With almost immediate animosity, Sasuke growled out with sword in hand, "YOU!"

"I see reintroductions aren't needed," Neji called out with an upraised palm, Byakugan eyes glaring back at him from where he landed. Turning his face to see Ichigo's burning form he could tell that he was very much alive. He could only breathe a momentary sigh of relief at knowing that they reached him in time. "_but we cannot afford to be idle in this situation._"

"Neji!" Sasuke snarled aloud, his body blurring forth as Susano'o ribs materialized around his body, black burning blade in hand. "I'll ensure your end is as painful as his for interfering!"

"Come and try!" Neji beckoned with a loud proclamation.

* * *

K-7 appeared in a blur of subtle movement behind Ichigo, allowing Neji's visage to be the sole focus of Sasuke's rage. Reaching into the confines of his tunic, he withdrew a scroll and ubound it in a swift motion. With the Kanji letters of "Fire Seal" labeled around a circle, the subordinate of Kabutomaru made several hand signs before getting to work.

Seconds that had felt like hours would pass as the black flames flourished out of Ichigo's backside, funneling the entirety of the Jutsu binding and restricting his healing process. As they had been fully sealed within the scroll, K-7 bound it up tightly and returned it back to his tunic's interior.

"I've finished undoing the Amaterasu placed on Ichigo Kurosaki," K-7 reported to his Master.

"Good. Now perform the Chakra Transfer Technique," Kabutomaru responded.

"Shouldn't I assist in his wounds healing?" K-7 briefly inquired.

"As it turns out, from what I've gathered, Mr. Kurosaki's body is entirely composed of Chakra. Rather than containing it, it literally is Chakra maintaining a physical shape and anatomy imitating that of a human's. Transferring your Chakra to his supplemented his healing on top of restoring what Chakra he lost during the damage inflicted upon his body," Kabutomaru explained hurriedly.

"Right," Withdrawing a single brown pellet from a pouch fastened to his waist, K-7 held it up to his mouth before popping it in. "_I'll need a Food Pill if I'm going to do anything of significance. Even with my high reserves, there's no way that my fullest would even equal a quarter of his power._"

After feeling a rush of Chakra imbue into his body, K-7 immediately placed his hands upon the slowly regenerating form of Ichigo's back. A bristling blaze of Chakra poured out of his palms and onto his back, thrumming the skin with resonating control and constant projection. In a matter of seconds, the regeneration began to accelerate and even parts of the Shikahkushou refastened with the influx of Chakra bestowed upon it.

"So far, so good," K-7 thought to himself, drawing his attention back to the battle at hand between Neji and Sasuke, "let's just hope I'll be swift enough..."

* * *

It was true to say that Sasuke was the aggressor in this fight.

Swinging his sword in front of him, an arc of precise infernal flames extended outwards in a condensed form of cutting power with incendiary properties. Neji narrowly leaped above it, tucking his legs up towards his chest, as the tips of hair follicles seared beneath him. Twisting around in midair, Neji launched two downward thrusts, cracking the Susano'o ribs just above the Uchiha's crown. Using it as a pedestal, Neji vaulted over Sasuke before a retaliating swing of his sword could cut him, landing deftly behind him.

Thrusting his elbows without turning, dual pressure waves of Chakra projections unleashed on the unsuspecting Sasuke. Said shockwaves sent Sasuke tumbling forward a good six meters forward, managing to right himself with an extended grapple of soil with his free hand. Turning sharply back at him, Sasuke renewed chase and begin to swing his blade in a series of dark flurries in his opponent's vicinity.

"This isn't like you, Neji!" Sasuke growled aloud, watching Neji deftly pivot on the balls of his heels, spinning and avoiding his sword strikes as agilely as he remembered before. "rushing in to save a complete stranger? For what? What gain could you possibly have by saving someone not even your own?!"

"Someone I knew risked going to Hell and back for the simplest of reasons!" Neji countered, his body whirling around the wild arcs of Sasuke's black fiery blade. "he befriended those who were friendless. Protect those who shouldn't be protected. And told a certain someone that _he _wasn't destined to be trapped by fate and that he was a _genius_!"

"_He _reminds you of _him_?!" Sasuke asked incredulously.

"Yes," Neji responded with earnest, leaning to the side to avoid a sword jab, thrusting a palm towards Sasuke's face. "he does!"

In a moment of Sasuke registering the attack's thrust, he moved accordingly. A sudden right-angled twirl Sasuke would perform would cause the hand to narrowly past within inches of touching his forehead. A follow-up swing of his blade as Neji barreled past him for a few meters occurred, the sound of their sandals skidding across the ashen soil painfully audible.

The subsequent crackling slap of Neji's right arm, severed just below the shoulder, wetly impacting the ground were be all the more horrific.

"Byakugan may be able to see all angles and see the nature of an attack," Sasuke criticized, turning his head to look over his shoulder at Neji's now burning shoulder, "but Sharingan can see moments before an attack lands, making it the perfect counter to your visual prowess."

"Heh," Neji managed to smile weakly, turning his burning one-armed, yet standing frame to face Sasuke once more.

"Frustration replaced by amusement? What the Hell are you smiling abou-?!" Sasuke stopped himself in mid-speech. What caught his attention was a sudden flourishment of light through the corner of his eye. Turning his head to his left, where he left the Shinigami, he found his mouth agape and his expression contort in outright indignation, "what is he doing?!"

There in the flesh was Ichigo. Breathing heavily, wounds that looked fatal and flames that burned ceaselessly were vanishing in a matter of seconds. What's more, the decline in power he suffered from taking so much damage while contending with repairing it just as quickly was being restored. Even parts of his garments were alight, restitching itself as if it was a part of his power as much as his own energy was.

All the while, a heaving and thoroughly exhausted K-7 knelt beside him, feebly feeding what Chakra he had left at his disposal to his backside.

"Sharingan may possess incredible sharp sight," Neji countered with a cocky, pain-ridden grin, "but it can't see the future of what its eyes don't look towards!"

Turning back to glare at Neji, Sasuke glowered as he pointed his sword at his direction, "You value him so much?! This Shinigami?! Well, " leaping off the ground, Sasuke seemed to hurtle through the air, raising his blade to prepare a cutting motion down at the still kneeling Ichigo. "...I'll just rip apart what's precious to you!"

Neji's eyes widened with apparent horror.

Seeing K-7 being in less of a condition to defend the recuperating Ichigo than he was, the likelihood of a death blow being landed if he was given the chance was too high to risk. Kicking off the ground, black tongues trailed off his crisp stump, already trailing up his collar bone and towards his neck. Even as beads of sweat trailed down his scalp, he ignored what pain was upon him in order to move forward.

"_Give up. Why can't you see the writing on the wall? You're destined to lose this match and you're destined to be a failure_."

"_Ha! Screw your destiny! I don't want any part of it!_"

"_Why do you resist?! What is driving you so far?!_"

"_I'm going to be Hokage someday, and that's the only destiny I'm going to follow!_"

"_I'm sorry, Naruto, that your dream will remain unfulfilled. But in your stead I'll make sure that this broken world of ours will be made right. Even if it should kill me, I shall make a better tomorrow where your smile would have been welcomed. That is my Nindo to you, Naruto_..."

The last thoughts of his long gone friend dispersed as the sound of steel piercing flesh had been heard. A diagonal cut dragged across his torso, leaving behind a geyser of blood to jettison from his silk enraptured chest. In that moment, he could feel Ichigo's eyes open wide with wakefulness and sudden realization of what just occurred.

"You-!"

"**Hake Kushou!**" Neji cut off Sasuke's indignant shout with his own, thrusting his sole remaining arm to send Sasuke flying back a dozen meters with the last of his Chakra. As he did so, he fell to his knees and cough up blood. Dark ichor painted his lips as much as it exuded out of his mouth, "damn...that's all I have left..."

"NEJI!" Ichigo shouted with alarm, scrambling from his feet to a ground prone Hyuuga. His hand briefly waved over the dark flames, emanating a emerald light from his palms. Containing it into a sphere of control, Ichigo haphazardly threw it a good distance away, exterminating the source of continuous burning on Neji's side. "why the Hell did you do that?! What was the matter with you?!"

"I guess...that was...crazy of me, hehe," Neji chuckled as blood continued to pour out of his mouth. His pale eyes looked up at Ichigo's widened hazel orbs. He could only see nothing but concern and indignation for what was transpiring. Closing his eyes he'd briefly reopen them, as tears formed in them, "I...don't have long...but...I'd like to know. Do you really intend...to rid this world...of Pain?"

"I said I'd already do it, idiot! Now stop talking and we'll get you help!" Ichigo shook Neji, his voice shaking with the edge of desperation in its tone.

"If you truly intend to...do as you say...you must learn...from this battle. Don't allow the enemy to...have so many openings...as you gave them. Let Hinata and...the others teach you how to counter the Shinobi Arts with your power," Neji continued.

"Stop talking, you dumbass!" Ichigo growled lowly, his teeth biting into his lower lip as tried to control the tone of his voice.

"One last thing," Neji closed his eyes, weakly staring up with light fading from the lavender orbs, "protect...her...for me...will you?"

"I'd have done it without you asking," Ichigo said with clenched eyes, gripping Neji's ravaged body hard. A soft exhale was heard and the Substitute would hear no more words. What little spirit energy he felt inside of him finally dwindled to nothing, confirming his demise.

"So Neji of the Hyuuga Clan is dead? He had it coming, the fool," Sasuke murmured aloud from the distance, walking back towards Ichigo. Susano'o flesh and bones began to form rapidly around him, even as his sword clenched tightly in hand. A stoic if not slightly satisfied expression crossed his face as his star-shaped eyes glanced at Ichigo's hunched over frame, "those who throw their lives so needlessly away are no better than trash anyways. Just like that pitiful loser I knew back then."

The previously ignored choir of thunderclaps hailing above them was the only sound following Sasuke's statement. Flashes of lightning created eerie silhouettes over all standing figures. During a significant flash of lightning that Ichigo rose back to his feet.

"Take his body somewhere safe," Ichigo said to Kabutomaru's subordinate. It wasn't a request in his voice but rather a command. Given the look that K-7 saw in his eyes, no negotiation on this order was allowed.

"Alright," K-7 said wearily, grabbing Neji's body and gingerly hauled it over his shoulders. Rising up, he'd briefly glance at Ichigo and Sasuke before leaping away, disappearing in a single flashing movement.

"Sorry to make you wait," Ichigo said lowly, his brows hiding the near passive glare fixated across his face. "I can't just release this kind of power just anytime I want. If I do, the damage inflicted thus far...will look look pathetic in comparison to what's going to be unleashed when I do."

"What are you-?!"

Raising his blade up to be level towards Sasuke, Ichigo clasped his left hand over his right arm. With eyes alight and a sudden brilliant burst of light discharging around his feet, shrieking around the atmosphere his body stood within, his power seemed to roar with furious might. The sensation seemed to be entirely magnified than when he was summoning his Getsuga Tenshou.

Then, it skyrocketed within the single two syllable word escaping Ichigo's lips.

"**BAN-KAI!**"

In that passing of words, the entire ground shook with a ferocity that Sasuke had rarely known. A cyclone of cyan lit wind spiraled up from the Shinigami's frame, spewing up into the dark thunderous atmosphere. This in turn caused a series of lightning bolts to travel up and down the twister of immense Chakra, coiling around like serpents that struck the ground haphazardly around Sasuke and Ichigo.

It was all he could do but to rely on his Susano'o's initial full body state to protect him from the gale force winds and the fierce electrical discharges coming from the heavens above. Raising his arms to cover his face, his eyes peered through the violet veil of protection to keep appraised of the changes. What he saw would be unfathomable for his mind to believe.

Just as suddenly as he had released an abundance of Chakra, he had siphoned and pulled it all back down onto himself. Even behind the gradually slowing twister of hyper-friction caused by such a phenomenon, he could see a single white mantle that thrummed around the Substitute's body. As if he condensed the immense Chakra and wore it, a seemingly incredible feat he never dreamed of performing.

Then, a single sword swipe and the twister vanished.

As the smoke would clear, Sasuke's eyes was able to see that Ichigo's appearance changed as far as choice of attire and weapon choice. Cross-shaped brands was adorned above his sternum, just as white X shaped brands fastened over a pair of gloves his hands were. A long coat flourished with a triad of tress flaps, while a atypical kama skirt still flourished if not in a more elegant form. The sword replacing the butcher blade now as a long jagged black katana with a slightly longer reach than his last weapon.

Staring at him with an unnervingly impassive visage, Ichigo muttered aloud, "I'm throwing away the chocolate here."

The statement caused Sasuke to quizzically narrow his eyes.

"What?!" Sasuke uttered aloud.

"It is time I followed up some advice an enemy of mine gave me," Ichigo said plainly. Raising his blade in a presenting manner, Ichigo growled vehemently as he glared with a pair of yellow eyes instead of hazel, "it's time I became a Demon and crushed my enemy without remorse!"

* * *

**A/N**: And finished!

I know, I know, this Chapter was a long time coming. Yet, I was debating on just what appropriate length this would be. After talking to a friend and consulting my personal disposition when writing this, I felt like this would be a good place to halt it. This fight may seem to be dragging on but I DO promise you it will finish next chapter and may include a prologue as to what happens afterwards.

**Edit Note**: I have FIXED the plethora of "woulds" in this Chapter. Holy Hell I think died a little inside seeing such an abuse of a single word. Thank you for mentioning it in my Reviews, those who've caught it or paid enough mind to let me know XD

Now, concerning Shinseiton. For those who don't know it is translated as, "Nova Release," a specific style of Element that Sasuke himself created through happenstance in tandem of using Sharingan and combining various Jutsu (Fire and Lightning this time) to create the equivalent of "Plasma Style" Jutsu. After much consultation with a friend of mine, I calculated that it would be nigh invisible to all but with exceptional Visual Prowess. Yeah, too bad Neji couldn't warn Ichigo ahead of time, huh?

**More About Shinseiton: **

_Shinseiton_ (Lit Translation, "Nova Release,"): By combining Lightning Chakra and Fire Chakra Natures, Sasuke is able to create the element of plasma, the Nova Release. Done by using his Sharingan's analyzation and perception of Chakra change in Shape to complement the Natures employed. In this manner he is able to manifest plasma in a controlled form rather than it discharging out haphazardly like a flamethrower or an explosion. Swift in its release and powerful in its deployment, it is considered a new kind of jutsu anyone possessing the dual Chakra Natures of Lightning and Fire.

Just thought you'd like to know more about it so you don't confuse it as a Lightning Release Jutsu XD

Also, Neji's death. Yeah, that happened. Sorry bro, no hard feelings to you I just felt like this was the best route to go. It may have been hinted by this starting from Neji's POV through the flashback and the unique title drop (Hope you all liked that one) but I hoped it still caught some of you off guard.

Have I left anything out?

Well, if I have, please let me know through PM's and share your thoughts about the Chapter in the Review Section below. Those Reviews always encourage me to write more and share the experience with you all! Thanks a bunch to you all :)

Until then, I'll see you guys on the next update of _**Reap the Pain! **_


	7. Becoming A Demon 2

**Reap the Pain**

* * *

**Las Noches, Two Years Ago**

* * *

"_You're no longer fit to bear the title of Tres Espada, Dordoni Alessandro Del Socaccio. Your successor has proven that much without even being forced to draw her sword. However, your loyalty and submission to your better has not gone unnoticed. We will find a place for you and those of...similar cases to keep serving Lord Aizen. Perhaps someday, you can_..."

In a moment, those words would vanish as a bath of lukewarm liquid splashed over his face. When he blinked open his eyes, the Spaniard Arrancar recoiled and spluttered with disgust. Seeing who was responsible for the goop dripping from his face his eyes swelled to comical proportions.

"Hblah!" Nel greeted with a mouthful of spit, leaning over his face with a dopey open mouth smile.

"GUUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" The Privaron Espada exclaimed loudly, scurrying back on his haunches away from the rabid appearing child. "W-W-What did you just do?!"

"Ah, I see you're awake," Ichigo said with a bland expression on his face. He too looked to have damp spots across where his wounds were most severe. A small tear along the bottom of his Bankai's Shikhakushou, however, seemed to be balled up in his left hand as a towel that dripped from excess fluids. "Nel's spit, as it turns out, has some healing properties. Nothing fancy but it gets the flesh wounds closed pretty good."

"Y-Y-You let her spit on me?!" Dordoni asked incredulously.

"Uh-huh!" Nel said with a bobbing of her head. Seeing Dordoni's look of disgust as an invitation for explanation, she reached into the inside of her throat, warbling the details, "I blrch forb da thurt glk angh tug et!"

Doing so led to the sudden release of bowel contents, grotesquely piling up on the ground beneath her face.

"Why did you just do that?!" Dordoni inquired sharply.

Raising her fluid smeared face up to smile cheekily, Nel explained, "I just spitted while stroking my throat-co-!"

"Your _what_?! And that's not spit, that's puke! Keep away from me!" Dordoni said with insistence as he waved his arms with comical pleas.

It would only take a few minutes to settle down the commotion between the two, allowing Dordoni to lay on his back to dwell in his thoughts. With his eyes on the ceiling, he would verbally proclaim his feelings as he noted Ichigo's presence only a few meters away. "I've been...completely defeated. To such an extent that old memories of fighting her resurfaced in my consciousness. I was sure I could match your powers with my own, and take blow for every blow I delivered in turn; yet I couldn't even see through the attack of yours when you Hollowfied.

"Niño," Dordoni said while drawing his gaze over to Ichigo's weary eyes, "you...are truly strong."

Casting his gaze to the side, Ichigo shook his head, "No. If I really was, I wouldn't be in this situation."

"That's your problem, Niño," Dordoni chastised openly, getting a return glance by his enemy, "you focus on the weakest aspect of yourself. You waste your compassion on the likes of me, someone who was willing to harm a child to get you to fight full power. I am a Hollow, and I know better than to sympathize with the likes of an enemy. It is...disgraceful to accept such pity from you!"

Grasping the sword beside himself, Dordoni rose up to his feet with a sudden springing movement. Causing visible alarm in the Substitute, the Spaniard Arrancar smiled widely with sword in hand. "What's the matter?! Did you expect that I would be thankful and repay you graciously with open arms of praise for your good deed?! Your heart is weak, niño! Actions like these are far too sweet for the likes of an enemy!"

"The Hell's the matter with you?!" Ichigo exclaimed, holding his sword up defensively, his arm instinctively holding Nel underneath it. "Your wounds aren't fully healed!"

"Injuries are all in the mind, niño! Overcome such limitations through sheer will and your body will fight long past the point of capability!" Dordoni easily shrugs off, despite the copious splurches of blood emanating from his barely closed wounds. "your actions are too sweet, like chocolate! You must throw it aside and become a Demon, niño! Utterly crush the enemy and leave not a trace of them behind! Otherwise..."

Rushing forward with blade thrusting at the Shinigami, Dordoni finished with a boisterous shout, "You'll most certainly die!"

A single stroke of a blade and blur of dark movement, the Arrancar would find his charge halted. The sound of a sword tip would be heard from the Privaron's own weapon, causing himself to smile with satisfaction. A chuckle would escape from his lips as blood spilled over it and stained his beard.

"That's more like it," Dordoni said with a laugh, his body heavily falling to his knees and his vision darkening. When his face would impact the ground with an audible crunch, the faint sound of feet rushing as Ichigo rushed down the distant corridor would be heard. This would cause a weak smile to stretch across Dordoni's face just shy of his eyes closing permanently. "how..._Demonic_ of you...niño!"

_**B**_

_**e**_

_**c**_

_**o**_

_**m**_

_**i**_

_**n**_

_**g**_

_**A**_

_**Demon 2**_

* * *

**Anger.**

It is the singular word that could properly summarize the maelstrom of wild emotions boiling within Ichigo Kurosaki's being. It helped embody the full strength of his powers, Hollow and Shinigami, fused together by his Fullbring attributes he knew that in the past he never reached such a peak of power. Not even when he sacrificed his energies when fighting Aizen did he feel so singularly complete.

"_Now I'm going to use it to kill another human being,_" Ichigo thought with golden irises, burning with a glare focused solely at a visibly apprehensive Sasuke. "_I won't hold back any longer! I'm going to show the Akatsuki that their actions don't go unpunished! It's time they reaped the despair they've sowed in this world!_"

On the opposing side of the battle, Sasuke could only stare in awe. This Shinigami, one that he could easily outmaneuver and tactically overcome, had surprised him with a vault of power he hadn't shown until now. A power he couldn't compare to other than the Tailed Beasts themselves!

"_The air is so ripe with his Chakra that I'm finding it hard to breathe,_" Sasuke thought to himself, his teeth gnashing as his Susano'o became solidifying its first state to the fullest extent possible. His black and red star shaped eyes stared at the formation of Chakra that clung to his body like a mantle, as if he was wearing a power that could be deceivingly similar to ordinary clothing to the human eye. But to his Sharingan, he might as well been wearing a blazing fire for what was manifested over his being. "_I can't lower my guard for a moment from this point on. Perhaps I can use Shinseiton again to gain the upperha-_"

His line of mental dialogue would be interrupted by a blurring wave of the Substitute's sword arm. What would erupt across the air caused the Uchiha to perform a double-take, blinking once before the disturbance reached him. Along the path of the Shinigami's blade was a column of wind that ripped asunder the space between himself and the Shinobi.

"ERRRNGH!" Sasuke exclaimed aloud, his arms instinctively raising up in an X formation to defend his face. His feet were lifted off the ground, the sword wrended microburst tackling into the Susano'o body with unrelenting force. Artificial flesh born from Chakra began to be ripped off the bones, sending the Avatar along with its master spiraling back across the swathe of destruction they've caused. By the time Sasuke regained his balance, heels grinding into the ashen gravel opposite of the Getsuga Tenshou's gouged trench, he noticed that all of the skin of Susano'o aside from part of the arms had been torn off.

"_He did that with just a sword swing?!_" Sasuke looked agape at the state his Susano'o was in.

The sound of a compressive wave of air pressure colliding with Sasuke's astral guardian would rattle him from his disorientation. Amidst the the displacement of debris-ridden wind would reveal the Susano'o's barrier would be broken through the right-handed middle rib. The source of the intrusion would be the blade of Tensa Zangetsu, having thrust through at a horizontal angle to point its edge towards Sasuke.

A heartbeat later, a gloved hand would wrap around the hilt as Ichigo's frame seemed to shimmer into being.

"_When did he-?!_" Sasuke began to think, just short of reading the muscular telegraphed movement his eyes predicted. Leaping upwards the Uchiha would narrowly escape a flesh tearing swipe of the Zanpakutou, his body clinging to the skeletal upper half by the fingertips. The entirety of the Susano'o would be cut in a perfect bisected half, causing the Chakra manifested bones to collapse and dissipate upon the ground below.

Despite what he witnessed, the Akatsuki Shinobi desired a counterattack to be ferreted out against his nemesis.

Without any visible movement or verbal proclamation, the Susano'o swung down both arms, manifesting Chakra blades of much larger proportions. When they clashed with the black sword, tongues of straining Chakra would spread in a horizontal manner like wildfire. The pressure would cause the Shinigami's cloak to billow with wild abandon as much as his orange locks did across his brows. Like a direct reverse of positions, however, the attacker's attack did little to strain the defender.

"Is that all you got?!" Ichigo growled, his head inclining up to project a venomous glare. Following up with his intimidating stare that produced chills down even Sasuke's spine, Ichigo's Zanpakutou became bathed in black and red tongues of spirit energy. Audible cracks would be heard just moments before Ichigo's sword tore through the aggressor's weapons, releasing the excess power into the face of the ethereal construct.

Leaving the rest of the Chakra manifestation to crumble under its brittle integrity, Sasuke backflipped a good dozen meters away to land in front of a good crop of structures still intact from their inhuman brawl. Already he weaved a number of signs at a inexplicably high speed, inhaling a lungful of air as he did so. Rearing his arms back, his eyes would witness Ichigo's form walking past the Chakra construct.

"**Katon,**" Sasuke breathed out, the embers rushing forth as the beginning of a fiery geyser would flow forth, "**Goukyakyu no J-!**"

The Uchiha would be halted as a gloved hand would clamp around his throat, lifting him off his feet and inclining his head upwards. The flames spewed upwards as a strangled cry would be heard behind the roaring flames. The orange-red tongues would be defused along with the gurgle with a knee kick to the gut, forcing steam to be emitted from the man's mouth along with wads of spit. Not even allowed a moment to recover, Sasuke felt his head split open along his brows by a vicious headbutt from the Shinigami. The powerful hand holding his neck captive would only release him after a surging thrust was made, sending his body sprawling through the window of a building, barreling him straight out the other side and slamming into the face of the opposing street side's structure face.

"Ngh," Sasuke groaned out, feeling the lukewarm rush of blood from his forehead cut slide down his face and off his chin. The pain swelling from his insides throbbed like he couldn't believe. Fragments of glass that weren't deflected by his Shinobi garbs natural protection lacerated the edges of his exposed dermal surface.

Even now, Sasuke felt no reprieve, as the sound of an all too familiar shrieking sundered the space before his eyes. The pillar of compressive wind rolled across the ground, tearing the street up by its foundation, all the while shattering the structure he had been tossed through just seconds ago. Muscling through the pain, Sasuke would wrench himself from the building's face and flip away just mere inches from the flesh searing air.

Panting heavily Sasuke could only stare with widened eyes of apparent fear, unable to grasp the concept of the strength gap between himself and his opponent. Through the smoke, the silhouette of the Shinigami would walk forebodingly forward, his frame outlined with a menacing gleam as lightning continually flashed over their heads. His eyes continued to bore into the Uchiha's, his aura in the vision of the Sharingan thrumming with such focus and force that no other could be compared to it.

Then, something stood out to Sasuke. Off-putting since the start about the dual colors of Ichigo's Chakra now seemed to be all the more apparent up close and in this new form. It seemed like two forces working together in harmony, so much so that it seemed like the duality of Chakras a certain someone once possessed so very long ago. The dawning gave him a new form of hope, and a desperate plan cropped forth into his mind.

"_I need a few seconds to ready its activation,_" Sasuke thought, clasping his hands together, his forefingers pointing upwards while the others entwined.

"Your spells are starting to piss me off!" Ichigo snarled aloud, his fury framing across his face in synchronization with a overhead azure flash of thunderous sounding light. Kicking off the ground, the Substitute moved like a wraith in the eyes of Sasuke, making all of his actions feel so weighted and sluggish in comparison.

The only thing he could do was contract his left eye and discharge a bullet of hyper-compressed black flames. Said flames flew out with a silent scream in its wake, aiming to encumber the Shinigami once again in its searing embrace. Yet, as bizarre as it seemed to the beholder's sharp gaze, Ichigo's head seemed to lean to the side, allowing it to pass undisturbed, petering out to engulf a distant structure in its infernal crash.

Appearing just in front of the crouched Shinobi, sweat beaded down his bleeding face as he stared up with apprehension. The smell of desperation could be felt around his pores, just as the black sword raised above Ichigo's head. A faint gasp left Sasuke's mouth as his eyes locked onto Ichigo's golden orbs, just moments before the guillotine stroke came down towards his head.

"It's over!" Ichigo proclaimed with a murderous shout.

* * *

An inner pulse was all that Sasuke felt before his consciousness thrust forth like an arrow. As if blackness wrapped his entire being and halted time outside of his body, he would find himself immersed into an entirely foreign environment. By the time he'd blink away his disorientation, he'd see something akin to a storybook's interpretation of a metropolis.

Looking to his left, he'd see a expansive ravine that was covered by a forest with occasional lakes with rivers running all about. The superstructures seeding to and fro for a endless horizon seemed to pepper along this otherwise beautiful sylvanic scenery, creating a dynamic contrasting vista to his eyes. Looking to his right, he'd see the equivalent of the sky, with white clouds rolling around and about the tops of the endlessly tall skyscrapers spearing through to the heavens.

"_I had intended to immobilize the Shinigami with Genjutsu and enter his inner world,_" Sasuke recalled as he walked to his right, and incidentally up, as he continued to navigate through the myriad of this new world he entered. "_Instead I'm in a metropolis that's tilted the world sideways and embedded into a forest. The Hell am I at?_"

A soft tapping of boots behind Sasuke would alert him, causing him to turn around and grasp the hilt of his waist aligned sword.

"Your stance is a demanding one, as if you're asking who I am," The figure stated in a calm, eloquent tone, his feet taking him further upon an audible approach that gave the perspective of vertical incline. His cloak appeared to be composed of silk eerily akin to Ichigo's Shikhakushou, embroidered with fur laced cuffs around the sleeves and a collar around his neck. X-marked gloves with primarily white coloration and black x's would cover his hands, a black-bordered X with white interior strap overlapping his chest. A horned helmet composed of black bone would fully encompass the crown of his head, a direct contrast to his viewable pale skin and bleach white hair. Heterochromic eyes stared stoically at Sasuke's triple-pronged orbs, one a silver-grey iris dipped in a sclera sea of black while the other was a defined blue over a white sclera. "that's my line, interloper!"

"Sasuke Uchiha," Sasuke responded with regained composure and confidence.

Seemingly satisfied by the answer, the figure narrowed his eyes and halted his advance, now nary half a dozen meters away, "Why have you entered this realm, human?"

"Simple," the Uchiha began to say, his form shimmering forth in a bout of Body Flicker. Reaching his hand out to grasp the man by the collar, he unsheathed his blade in a fluid motion to invertedly hold its edge to his neck. With the left flank of his neck feeling the cool edge of the sword, his gaze fell upon Sasuke's crimson-black eyes as they flared into a star-design, widely opened so to further increase its projection. "to subjugate the Shinigami's _Inner Power_!"

Audible moments of tension would cross between the two of them in the inner realm. The wind buckled across the high altitude structure they stood upon, flourishing their respective cloaks and opposing colored tresses. When all seemed to remain as it was did the Uchiha's confident, commanding expression begin to falter and transform into confusion.

"You dare enter this place and demand control of me?!" The spirit shouted aloud incredulously. Without waiting for a retort, the entity grasped Sasuke's hand that grasped his collar, squeezing tightly to the point that bones could be heard snapping.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Sasuke howled aloud with agony, all of the digits bent at irregular angles along with his wrist. Out of reflex, the Shinobi attempted to slice the proximate edge of his sword into the being's neck. What happened would be nothing but a visible rebound, as if nothing could touch him.

"A soulless blade such as that can never harm me," He proclaimed bluntly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"We'll see about that!" Sasuke snarled as he backpedaled back, holding his blade aloft with his sword hand. When he strung the equivalent of Chidori across his blade, the chirping currents of potent Chakra sang around the metal with high pressurized volts. Sprinting forward, Sasuke swung his sword back towards the exposed neck of the spirit, intending on slaying it.

The motions the man performed seemed nonchalant to Sasuke. His left gloved hand pocketed itself into the interior of the hakama cloak, as the other seemed to flourish around in a pinwheeling motion in front of himself. When the energized blade seemed to be bisected nary a few inches before touching his head again, Sasuke understood.

"_He cut through my Chidori blade,_" Sasuke thought as he trepidatiously witnessed his sword's other half fall down towards the abysmal ground far below himself and his enemy. "_in an instant?!_"

"You heard my name yet you find this surprising. Allow me to educate you," The enigmatic being stated, as he flourished a black blade in his right hand. All in a single step taken forward, the Uchiha would feel a blindingly painful intrusion of cold metal enter his chest and exit his back, just as the being spoke his last words to him beside his right ear. "my name is Tensa Zangetsu, and I hereby evict you from these premises!"

"_D-Dammit!_" Sasuke thought as his eyes rolled up and once again receded into darkness.

* * *

"-Guh?!" Sasuke found himself reopening his eyes with a strangled gasp, in sync of the would-be executor. Grasping his chest, he felt for the pain that was no longer there and sighed with relief. Glancing up at the imposing figure of Ichigo, he could only fathom just what kind of terrifying source could manifest itself into such a powerful being.

"What the Hell did you do now?!" Ichigo asked as he blinked away the brief bout of dizziness he felt, grasping the side of his head with his free hand. "more spells?!"

"I had intended to nullify your power from the inside," Sasuke said with blunt admittance.

"You what?!" Ichigo exclaimed with widened eyes, feeling totally unaware of what transpired in the span of time transpiring within his inner world.

"But your Inner Spirit, Shinigami, seems to have a far stronger will than the Tailed Beast I've tamed with these eyes," Sasuke commended, albeit with visibly regret.

That expression would vanish as he would reopen his eyes, a string of hand signs be made in a matter of moments. Finishing upon a final pyramid symbol with his fingertips, a dramatic flourishment of his Chakra would manifest all around his body. The ground distended, graveled earth shattered, and his attire along with his hair would rise vertically at a sudden gathering of energy.

Then, the transformation would occur.

Spreading out from his brows would be a vibrant golden glow of Chakra, seeping along every pore of his skin. Such intensity of Chakra build-up was seen through the transparent aura of electrical discharges that emanated at all angles from his person. Such an erratic visage would make Sasuke embody all of the anger and determination into a single Jutsu gave even Ichigo pause.

"There is no better tactic to use against you," Sasuke began to say as he assumed a spreading stance. With his legs still crouched, his left hand rose up to point towards the storming heavens while right pointed straight at Ichigo. A smile of absolution spread across Sasuke's face, the confidence boiling within his being as much as the light caressing every hair on his skin. "then by annihilating you with overwhelming force!"

A single discharge from his left hand spiraled up like a beacon into the chaotic thunderclouds. Seconds would pass and the electrical energies began to converge, spewing it into a visible orb that spread forth in a manner akin to a cross shape. The subtle finger gestures upon Sasuke's behest indicated it was all to his own design, manipulating the very heavens above to his calling.

"You're not going to win," Ichigo said with a confident glare of his own.

"Then we'll both die together!" Sasuke said with widened eyes of acceptance, his Uchiha cloak flapping at an inverted angle to proudly show its crest once more. "I'm not sure if this Jutsu will kill me or not, but you won't escape its clutches! Not even you with your great speed!"

"Who said about running away?!" Ichigo shouted aloud, his own being flourishing a aura of scarlet-white that quaked the ground around him. Backpedaling a good twenty meters away, to ensure the distance was taken into account for a rapidly deployed technique, he raised his black blade to point straight at Sasuke's extended hand. "I'm going to crush you with all you have! There won't be ashes remaining when I'm through with you!"

When Ichigo said this a large coalescence of spirit energy began to project along the edge of his sword. It hummed loudly enough to overshadow the thunderclaps haling at dozens above the Substitute's head, growing in size and equaling to that of his own torso in scale. A crimson light was cast in front and around him, giving him a menacingly prepared silhouette.

Seeing such a gathering of Chakra in front of Sasuke's eyes, he knew that survival truly was minimal.

"_Using_ **Raikoumi Doudentai** _will help me direct the flow towards my target, co-aligning precision using my Sharingan. This technique better work, or I'll regret not summoning_ him _when I had the chance,_" Sasuke thought with visible apprehension, suppressed by his determination to survive and win this battle. Hearing the violent shine of the electrical energies above, he knew no better time like the present was. A violent shout rang out from his throat just before his entire being would be enshrouded by a loud crash of light.

"**Juuji Shuurai!**"

After the commanding shout was released from Sasuke's lungs, the cross-shaped form of gathered natural electrical energy would descend from the heavens. Slamming into the ground with enough force to distend ten meters, a spherical contortion of cobalt light riveted around Sasuke's being. He was almost erased from existence, his visage barely a dark silhouette at the heart of volts of unimaginable proportions.

Then, a pair of cross shaped pyres of light would stretch at opposing angles of the rolling sphere of lightning, just before thrusting the majority of its strength towards Ichigo's direction.

To Ichigo's perspective, it seemed like a slower version of a lightning strike that had initially thrust into Sasuke's vicinity. Yet he knew it was swift and if he try to veer away from its course, there was a chance that it could alter its course. Having no intention of moving out of the way of the blinding pillar of electricity, Ichigo did what he did best: respond with equal if not greater force!

"**CERO!**" With his own voluminous shout, a beam of compressed spiritual energy released with a thunderous roar of its own. Crashing into the energy heading its way, both forces crashed and seemingly halt to struggle against each other. Elliptical waves of pressure dug into the ground and thrummed for great distances of the city block they were in, shattering infrastructures and demolishing crumbling homes.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Ichigo howled out with fierce determination, magnifying the radius of the Cero's reach, pushing it harder using sheer will alone. In a matter of seconds, the crimson light would overcome the sapphire beam, crashing through with unrelenting hunger.

Sasuke's eyes widened with horror at seeing the azure tongues of Chakra replaced by a opposing crimson bath of searing heat. Encroaching upon him in moments, he could only breathe out and yell out with incredulous anger, "_No! Not_ that _colored Chakra again!_"

In a breath of symbolic execution, the white-red Cero would penetrate the heart of the blue cross, causing it to wither away all the way back to its source. Barrelling through the city like a rampaging missile of raw power, it crashed through structure after structure, tearing a surface gouge through the entirety of the city as it continued to sail through space. Eventually it would penetrate into the forest, annihilating a kilometer line of trees before outright exploding in a upward voluminous manner.

"It's over," Ichigo breathed out with a final sigh, "you're done, Sasuke Uchiha!"

* * *

A single hooded silhouette would view the final attack eclipse all prior with bristling movement upon its attire, though standing passively still atop the edge of the town's highest building. It could sense every fragile flame of Chakra had from within the war torn village previously known as Takanaka Town. Eyes would be closed behind the hood's shadowy veil, the enigmatic viewer searching for a particular signature within. At first nothing would be felt at all of the familiar warmth, the beautiful yet dark semblance of the person it searched for.

Then, a flicker, a faint one at best would flourish forth.

A gasp escaped the hooded entity, and then it'd disappear within a swift kick of its legs.

* * *

The moment that Ichigo declared such words, a visible rattling was seen exactly where he saw Sasuke disappear from view.

Rising up from the dust, the presumably deceased Uchiha would emerge, wafting trails of steam rising from his person. His coat had all but been incinerated in the Jutsu's dispersal by Ichigo's Cero. His arms, having acted as the conduit guides of the Chakra that he guided and dispersed with equal precision, were covered with second degree burns. Puss oozed from cracking lacerations that had formed from the pressure of the ensuing struggle that had taken place, and even parting the waves of energy that the Cero had created had taxed him to his limits.

Sweat beaded along his bruised and cut face, eyes dimmed from red to straight onyx. He heaved with effort just standing, with bits of debris clinging to his clothed and naked skinned frame. It contrasted the stoic and still very fresh Ichigo who stood to watch Sasuke hold himself out like a rotting limb ready to be amputated.

"_I've got nothing left,_" Sasuke thought to himself, grimacing with barely controlled frustration, "_to think I'd survive only to be cut down by the enemy who didn't flinch at such a high scaled Jutsu. Damn that Neji for giving this Shinigami the chance to release this kind of power!_"

"Damn, you're a tough bastard," Ichigo commented aloud, his eyes impassively staring at his exhausted enemy. Treading a few steps the Substitute appeared before Sasuke's vicinity through a bout of Shunpo. Raising his blade up over his head, Ichigo spoke stoically, "I'll make sure it's painless. It's the least I can do to show my respect to you as an adversary."

"Like I care...about that," Sasuke growled out with disdain at him, inclining his weary gaze at Ichigo's dispassionate one. "just finish me!"

With a swing sword downwards, it truly appeared as if Ichigo intended to cut him down and end his enemy's life. That was, until a rapidly deployed series of golden chain links spiraled between his black sword and Sasuke's hunched over visage.

"What?!" Ichigo exclaimed aloud, seeing the vibrant golden chain that repelled his sword loop around Sasuke's form.

"This Chakra," Sasuke breathed out with a wince, feeling the chain wrap around his upper arms up to his shoulders, "it's-!"

Before he could finish, air escaped his lungs and his eyes widened with surprise mingled with pain. Yanked off his feet his form would skid across the ground until it would fall over the shoulder of a lithe cloaked individual. The faint glow of refracting light off of lenses would be seen, a visible scowl hinted behind the dark veiled silhouette cast by the hood it wore.

"Who the Hell are you?!" Ichigo snarled aloud, pointing his blade at Sasuke's rescuer in a demanding manner.

The figure didn't respond, simply acting in accord. Raising a fair complexioned hand, a number of tan colored spheres being vaguely seen by the Shinigami. Throwing them down, a widespread explosion of smoke and blinding flash was emitted by the indiscernible ninja tools.

"Ngh?!" Ichigo winced at the ringing his ears had as much as his eyes stung from the flash. It didn't make anything better that the smokescreen kept his blurry vision from finding their direction of retreat. "dammit! I can't sense them either!"

With a frustrated growl emitted from his thin lipped frown, Ichigo could only swing his sword down to strike the ground. The emphasized emission of his anger caused the entire smokescreen to vanish with a buckling gale of wind to crash into the debris piles that used to be a city block. As the rings of the flash bomb died, Ichigo could only let out a resigned sigh.

"I guess I'll see him again, one way or another," Ichigo concluded. In a matter of moments, the fabric of his Bankai disappearing in a scarlet white glow of spirit energy, flowing around and into his black sword. As his default Shikhakushou returned visibly, the Shikai state of his Zanpakutou resumed once more. Manifesting light around the blade he formed wrapping bandages to hold the sword's edge in check while tying it to his back.

Looking to the distance, he peered his eyes towards the familiar signature that was K-7's, knowing it would lead him to the rest. Knowing what was to come, he could only dread returning to their midst. A guilt so heavy it could have been mistaken as weights of impossible scale had been placed around his heart. The hero returns a failure and costs a comrade's life in the exchange.

"_This isn't going to end well,_" Ichigo thought as he kicked his body off the ground and swiftly accelerated to their vicinity.

* * *

"There he is!" K-7 called out, having kept guard just outside the surprisingly uncollapsed front of the shop. Upon seeing the emerald hued light of Ichigo's approach, K-7 could tell by the look on his face that he was already regretting showing himself.

For the moment, the collaborated Konoha Ninja that hid in safety, felt otherwise about his arrival.

"Ichigo!" Moegi shouted first, rushing out of the shop's overhang to glomp into Ichigo's waist.

"Guoh!" Ichigo let out a briefly surprised grunt by her impact, but quickly overcame it to look down at her, "Moegi?!"

"I'm...I'm..." She let out with trembling gasps, her moist eyes looking up with relief as her lips quivered, "I'm...so glad you're alright!"

"Yeah," The Substitute nodded, his eyes staring away distantly as he placed a hand to ruffle her head, "glad you didn't get caught up in it either."

"No way," Konohamaru breathed out, finally conscious for the first time since the ramen shop's collapse almost an hour ago. His eyes were wide and a newfound spark of admiration entered his gaze. Speaking out in a revered it not outright disbelieving tone, he raised a shaking hand at Ichigo, "you...you beat Sasuke?!"

"Well-"

"That's...AWESOME!" Konohamaru suddenly exclaimed, finding himself practically smiling ear to ear, balling his fists up next to his face. "I was pretty mad to find out I was knocked out to keep me from having payback against that jerk. But knowing that you took him out on top of those other two Akatsuki?! Man, you're like the coolest strange guy I've met!"

"Strange?" Ichigo visibly twitched at the remark.

"With you on our side, there's no way Pain stands a chance!" Konohamaru exclaimed haughtily, placing his clenched fists on his hips, laughing in a dramatically overconfident manner.

"Incredible," Lee exhaled, his own onyx eyes staring at Ichigo with immense gratitude. He leaned up from his modest bedroll, still recovering from straining his body using the Inner Gates. To have succeeded where he and Hinata had failed the martial artist knew took an amazing amount of skill if not equal power. That or an incredible amount of luck. "_that last blast...must have been his doing. I could feel it all the way here, even behind a Chakra barrier that nullifies Sensory abilities. What a terrifying end that battle must have had!_"

Looking to his side, Lee saw that Hinata also left the comfort of her bedroll to greet Ichigo.

"Welcome back," She whispered as she approached him with upraised hands, placed over her heart. A smile of relief adorned her gentle face, eyes twinkling at seeing that Ichigo had indeed won the day and had come back safely.

"Hinata," Ichigo sighed, his weary hazel eyes meeting hers, projecting a strange eerie sense of defeat in his gaze. Looking to the side, he scratched the back of his head uncomfortably with his right hand. "there's...something you should know."

With those words spoken, Hinata's eyes gradually opened with realization. Her mouth parted and her breath quickened at noticing one person missing among the victorious squad who survived their encounter. Veins bulged and her Byakugan activated upon impulse, her vision sweeping to and fro across the village decimated by intense warfare. Finding nothing, she looked over at Ichigo's shame filled eyes and asked shakily, "Wh-Where's Neji?! Why isn't he here?!"

K-7 bowed his head, looking partly guilty himself. As his spectacle endowed eyes glanced over at Ichigo, he saw the Substitute raggedly exhale though his nostrils and shake his head at him. Deftly understanding the bodily gesture, K-7 pushed his thin-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose with acknowledgement.

"Where?! What happened?!" Hinata asked more desperately, her eyes wide and her voice filled with as much denial as there was desperation.

"He's...dead," Ichigo breathed out, wincing as if the words sliding out were knives, painfully reminding him of what happened.

Hinata's reaction was a gradual one. Slowly the veins along her brow regressed and her eye resumed the passively filled lavender color. Gasps left her lungs as raggedly as they were inhaled. Her eyes were open and wide with apparent dawning that drank in the despair her entire being was filled with from being told what happened.

"N-No," She denied with a slow shake of the head, raising trembling digits to clutch at the sides of her head, cupping over her ears, "this isn't true! Neji can't be dead! He promised me he'd live for...for...for...!"

"Hinata?" Moegi asked, her own eyes beginning to brim with tears of her own. She could tell by the wide eyed look of shock and silence of Konohamaru that he was taking it hard as well. Even Lee, standing within the shadows of the overhang, began to sob from what was told from the Shinigami's mouth.

"No-No-No-No-No-No!" Hinata strung aloud, sweat beading along her face as tears began to slowly fill up her pupiless eyes. She clenched them shut, feeling the hot fall of liquid stream crawl down her cheeks. She slid her palms over her mouth as she began to sputter more inaudible gibberish of grief-stricken denial. Her whole body shook as she began to feel the dams of her heart burst open.

"It's my fault," Ichigo continued, clenching his hands at his side, looking down at the dirt he stood upon. "if...if I used my full power from the start, this wouldn't have happened. He sacrificed himself for me because of my carelessness. If I hadn't, he would be-"

"SHUT UP!" Hinata shouted out loud, slapping the Substitute across the face with a dramatic step forward. A look of anguish-ridden rage overcame her facial features, copious trails of tears still flowing endlessly across her face. "don't...don't you DARE disrespect his death by blaming yourself! Because of him, he kept us all safe by keeping you alive! Be thankful, if not for his sake...but mine!"

Ichigo stared wide-eyed at her, ignoring the sting of the angry red mark Hinata's hand made across his left cheek. Awkwardly, Ichigo tried to verbalize his apology while reaching out clumsily towards her, "Hinata, I-"

"I can't take this any longer," Hinata let out with a ragged exhale, her eyes closed tightly as her hands clenched at her jacket-covered chest, "my heart...I can't take this pain in my heart!"

Whether it was a move on his part or hers, they suddenly found each other in a grief-ridden embrace. With Ichigo's arms tenderly wrapped around Hinata's hair-draped back, Hinata's palms clenched Ichigo's kosode silk tightly. Burrowing her face into his chest, she let out a loud cry of sadness escape her lungs, all the while her forehead rubbing against Ichigo's chest. His own eyes clenched as his visage grimaced with despair, feeling the guilt renew itself with the presence of the most harmed victim of the tragedy. With guilt clinging to his core, Ichigo pulled her body tightly against his, leaning his chin atop her crown.

Clouds above their heads parted and rays of sunlight began to breach through the darkened atmosphere. One ray draped over the two embraced in mutual despair. Despite all of the anguish they felt, the victory had bore a single light from hope, penetrating the veil of darkness clinging to the land. As if Neji himself was attempting to reassure them all was not lost.

Neji's Nindo lives on, even in death.

* * *

**A/N:** Whoo! This was a heavy chapter. Switching from a Badass Vengeance theme to a Grieving Scene was not easy, I'll tell ya. I do hope you all liked what I did here and that the ending helped break up a bit of the darkness this Chapter brought. It certainly helped me, and was an indication that Sasuke's Lightning Jutsu broke up the clouds, leading way to his defeat breaking up the shadowy veil of despair that's clinging to this world.

Another aim I had was to give Sasuke a bit more development. Hopefully you spotted that and I did a good job in creating a more believable Sasuke when he's under pressure.

Also, a mention of thanks to Lastation for helping preview and edit this Chapter. I couldn't have gotten it in such pristine condition without him. So thanks a lot man :)

Please leave your comments and thoughts about the Chapter below. I noticed a few of the more recent Reviews were straying from the topic of the story. I suggest you don't for the sake of turning the Review section into a rant wall or one conversing about the series rather than the Chapter they just "Reviewed" on. Please do it for me ^^;

Until then, I hope to see you all upon the 8th Chapter of **Reap the Pain**!


	8. The Creeping Shadow

**Reap the Pain**

* * *

Echoes traversed through the confines of the dark cave. The sounds of water dripping and small animals scurrying within the shadows being the most prominent. Ordinarily such a place was untouched by man and left to the machinations of lesser intelligent creatures. But within the deepest mineral alcove presiding over a glowing pool of water, casting its refracting ripples across the disheveled ceiling and floor, something cast an unusual array of lights.

There were seven in totality, where there used to be nine a mere two days ago. Rainbow in hue, all seven silhouettes bode the similarity of crimson clouds on black backdropped overcoats. The eeriness of the Chakra resonating from each visage would be enough to cause distortions in the air, causing their own images to flicker sporadically like static.

Unlike before, it didn't take long for the talking to begin.

"Didn't we all meet up two days ago?" Kisame inquired, turning his predatory eyes around curiously at the members gathered. "Did something happen? I notice we're short a few people today..."

"According to gathered intelligence as of recently," Madara began, turning his hooded visage to cast his pair of crimson eyes at his tall associate standing to his right, "_the Reaper_, as titled by the Shinbu Corps who've survived his initial arrival into our world, has just done battle with our organization within the span of the last twenty four hours. Akimai and Shigure were destroyed without a trace of their bodies. Sasuke Uchiha was injured to incapacitation but was retrieved before he was slain as well. The Reaper is currently at large..."

"The Reaper, huh? He did all of that?" Kisame asked in an almost disbelieving tone, incapable of hiding the hint of excitement in his voice.

"_Yes, he did_," Zetsu cued in, the pale skinned half speaking in a lighter tone. What followed would be the concurrence of information by the charcoal complexioned side. "**while weren't able to follow the battle involving Shigure and Akimai, we had gotten the chance of recording most of the battle involving Sasuke Uchiha and the one named Ichigo Kurosaki. The resulting fight between the two had laid waste to the entire city and the landscape bordering its perimeter. If there were any villagers remaining within the city, they are all long dead after such a battle**."

"Ridiculous," A voice, one that remained adamantly quiet in the last meeting, spoke up. As eyes were drawn to the form, his silhouette seemed to have the cloak draped over a large body, much like a regal cloak or a mantle. Long hair flowed over his shoulders down to his lower back, flaring upwards in a wild fashion. Yellow eyes stared out coldly, yet with a hidden feral light shining behind them. Due to the nature of the Jutsu giving him form in the cave, it was hard to tell if he sounded amused or disconcerted, even as he continued to speak. "an Uchiha falling to the likes of a human or spirit, that isn't among our ranks, is hard to believe. No, he had to have some form of aid to have pulled a feat like that off. Did we have any confirmation of allies within the battle's proximity to this Reaper?"

"_Actually, yes_," White Zetsu concurred with a nod, "_from our observations he seemed to have encountered a small squad of the Konoha Resistance. Though, there was another who seemed to be affiliated with them in some way_..."

"**While we don't have any data on the latter at the moment, he does seem oddly familiar to one Kabuto Yakushi. Further intel will be required before we can make an accurate guess to his identity**," Black Zetsu continued.

"I think I already have an idea about that," Madara reassured with a wave of his hand. Locking his gaze to the dual personality member, he narrowed his eyes behind his hood, "did you identify who was travelling with him before you lost sight of them?"

"**Let's see**," Black Zetsu looked upwards, pondering for a few moments before recounting the names. "**two Kunoichi and one Shinobi of Konoha, discounting their associate. Moegi, Hinata Hyuuga, and Konohamaru Sarutobi**."

"_Didn't you forget Neji Hyuuga?_" White Zetsu inquired pointedly.

"**Seeing as he's dead, I don't think that's an issue**," Black Zetsu retorted gratedly.

"Who killed him?" Madara asked curiously.

"_It was Sasuke_," White Zetsu answered readily.

"Really?" Madara spoke with intrigue.

"_Apparently he sacrificed himself in order to protect the Reaper. While we weren't close enough to hear what was going on, I can only assume that he believed the Reaper to be a great asset to their cause_," White Zetsu revealed.

"It doesn't matter," Pain's authoritative voice finally spoke, drawing all attention to himself. "what matters is that the last time the Reaper was noticed was in Takanaka Town, heading south. They might head towards the Tenchi Bridge, potentially leading outside of the Land of Fire or Quarters of Tanzaku for another place of refuge. They must be stopped before more word of his activities gets out. Otherwise we'll have potential chaos to be reaped where this Reaper has sowed his path of destruction."

"So what's the plan?" Kisame asked eagerly, a smile of sharp teeth hidden behind the hem of his overcoat.

"Deploy Shinbu Corps to contain the situation in the outlying villages of the Land of Fire," Pain ordered Kisame, locking his ring-aligned eyes with his aquatic ones. "I want watches posted around the province. Should any of them spot the Reaper they are to inform us and not engage. None of them are a match for the Reaper, otherwise casualties will be made and further panic among the land is planted."

"Understood," Kisame nodded, his figure shimmering out of view, showing the assertion to accomplish his goals immediately.

"Zetsu," Pain commanded the next member, his eyes swivelling around to lock on the twin born member, "I want you to keep following the Reaper and recording his activities. Don't be spotted and retreat when necessary."

"**Understood**," Black Zetsu commented on behest for them both, their form shortly sizzling out of form and transparency.

"Anything for me?" The unnamed figure asked, a smile seeming to spread behind the veil of darkness obscuring his visage. "what would you have me do?"

"If you happen to be crossing that area of the country, by all means, engage with extreme prejudice," Pain spoke with a lax amount of confidence, "just make sure you know what you're dealing with. A battle won over Sasuke Uchiha is no small feat."

"All the more reason to see if he's all worth the effort of hunting him down," The man said with a chuckle.

"Then do what you will, Shinnō," Pain finished with a waving gesture of his left ringed hand.

As soon as the large man disappeared from view, only three remained. The silent yet ever present Konan, the stoic Pain, and the mysterious Madara. Their conversation seemed to take an eternity to begin, but when it did, things seemed a bit different than their meeting prior.

"So, Madara," Pain began, narrowing his spiral eyes at Madara's distant pair of crimson orbs, "I take it that you've gathered all the intel on this _Reaper's _abilities in private?"

"You know me too well," Madara said with a chuckle, shrugging with admittance.

"I'll review the data that Zetsu gathered personally. But out of curiosity, how do you peg the strength of this Ichigo Kurosaki?" Pain inquired.

"He's a threat that the Akatsuki hasn't faced in a long time. Perhaps he'll pose even more of a threat than Naruto Uzumaki did when he mastered Sage Jutsu," Madara said plainly.

"If the battle has proven anything, he is able to use enough raw power to overcome even Sasuke Uchiha. Speaking of which, are you aware of where your prized protoge went?" Pain inquired with a cock of the head.

"Oh, I have a good idea about that," Madara said with a dismissive nod.

"Good," Pain said with contentment. His words would echo the cave, even as his and Konan's figures began to shimmer away from view, "keep me appraised of the Reaper situation. If he continues to become a problem, I'll personally oversee the best possible solution."

"Understood," Madara responded with a nod, watching his partner and superior vanish in a blink. Upon being in total isolation of the cave, the silhouette of the great Uchiha looked down at his own hand. Gripping it tightly, enough to make the gloved leather to crinkle audibly, he muttered one last phrase before he vanished as well. "I'm almost there. My aims are almost within reach after all these years! All that is left is to remove you, Reaper!"

* * *

_**Chapter 8 - The Creeping Shadow**_

* * *

The walk felt too peaceful.

Having only been hours since the battle's end, the remaining Konoha ninja along with Ichigo set out on foot. It took them awhile to navigate away from the fallen forestation wrought by Ichigo's attacks, a painful reminder of what the scale of his battle with Sasuke had been. The smell of greenery and the sounds of wildlife wouldn't project into their senses until long after the scent of sulfur and ozone along with the silence of the battlefield.

Even then, it still felt too quiet.

At the head of them, an additional member to their group took the lead, namely K-7. Wearing a black Shinobi cloak over grey-matte combat flak jacket over his violet hued flannel tube-collared top and shorts, he looked more the part of a bona fide assassin and spy rather than a humble shop attendant. His glasses, forever resting upon the bridge of his nose, glistened a brief refraction of light before his eyes analyzed the environment around him.

"Alright," K-7, now deferring himself as _Kabuto_, turned around from ahead of the line of downtrodden travelers to wave back at them. "we should be getting clear of the Takanaka outskirts. After that, I suggest we keep away from the main roads, so we can avoid the Shinbu Corps. It won't be long before they flood this place trying to piece together what happened."

"Good plan," Moegi said with a smile, her thumbs wrapped around a dark hued backpack wrapped over her shoulders, "it will also be easier for us to make camp without any unnecessary questions being asked. We can probably rest on the way down south without running into any more Shinbu."

"Glad to see you still have your level head on your shoulders," Kabuto nodded back to Moegi with a smile of his own, "your comrades are lucky to have someone like you to keep them accountable."

"Oh it's nothing really," Moegi dismissed with a shake of her head, trying to suppress the blush that threatened to crawl up her neck and flush over her face. It was only her luck that K-7 decided to not hold his stare at her for too long and return looking ahead. She'd release a sigh before hearing a grunt of contempt a meter away from her back left.

"Seems like you're getting along with Mister Four Eyes," Konohamaru spoke disgruntled, his own arms wrapped around the back of his head propping his elbows at an upper angle.

"SSSH!" Moegi hissed at Konohamaru, earning a few blinks of surprise from her childhood friend, as she held up a finger over her lips while glaring heatedly at him. "in case you haven't forgotten, he had volunteered to help guide us. Considering what happened, you should be grateful that snake guy allowed him to join us at all. So zip your fat lips!"

"My lips aren't fat," Konohamaru mumbled, pinching his lips together to resemble a fish's for comical emphasis.

"Be nice to Kabuto," Moegi whispered harshly, turning her head sharply to the side, raising her chin upwards with indignation, "or else you can forget about me helping cook tonight's meal."

"B-B-But," Konohamaru began to plead, his eyes wide and looking desperate, "Lee can't cook and Hinata just eats those nasty rations! Please don't make me kiss up to mister sinister glasses!"

"Do I have to bring up the fact he kept you alive when he could have left you behind?" Moegi growled lowly, fixing her eyes to glare at him while scrunching up her nose nose.

Furrowing his brows at her, he looked down at his feet, kicking an odd stone in retort, muttering, "He knocked me out-"

"-to keep you from getting you killed!" Moegi urged loudly.

Hearing that was enough to cause Konohamaru's eyes to widen and his breathe gasp out. The cold hard reality hit him with renewed cruelty. Even after all these years, he wouldn't be able to stand up to par against someone like Sasuke.

Reaching up to trace his fingers along the jagged scar running past the bridge of his nose to his left cheek, the boy furrowed eyes and bared teeth with visible frustration. Looking over at Mogei, her concerned eyes widened when she saw the pained look in her friend's eyes. What offset her more was what words he chose to speak next.

"How am I supposed to look at my face with pride when I never get a chance to get back at the one who cut it?!" Konohamaru asked indignantly, halting altogether, pointing and gesturing his face towards her.

"Konohamaru, I-"

"You never have any faith in me! None of you do!" The young Genin shouted. Pointing at the direction of the village they fled from, he continued to wave his arms with emphasized anger. "if _any_ of us helped, none of this would have happened! We wouldn't need the help of some stranger! Neji wouldn't have died if we-!"

"SHUT UP!"

The voluminous shout eclipsed anything the young tirading boy was saying. Drawing the eyes of the two teenager, they'd see Ichigo, marching up past the solitary frames of Lee and Hinata. An angry knit of orange brows creased over his face, clearly fixating a hardened glare at scarf toting Shinobi who was ranting. Halting just a handful of meters down at the much more diminutive child, Ichigo raised up a clenched fist with emphasis.

"Stop saying _what if_! What happened, happened! No one likes it but you're the only one who can't move past it!" Ichigo growled aloud, waving his fist in sync with his words.

At first, the scarred boy seemed to relent. What the strawberry haired man said had some merit of truth. Everyone else was quiet and respectful, if not still recoiling from the shock of what transpired. Only he seemed to be the one reacting and reprimanded once more.

Though he remembered who was speaking to him, causing him to shake his head and return a scowl back at Ichigo.

"Mind your own business!" Konohamaru snapped back, pointing his hand up at the Substitute's face for pointed emphasis, "if you hadn't showed up and gave us all hope, we wouldn't have been thrown into danger like this!"

"Oh yeah?" Ichigo crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes down at the shorter and younger man.

"That's right!" Balling up the pointed arm into an upright position, Konohamaru sneered with teeth displayed. "After all, you came in thinking this was just another small job for you, right?! That if you swung your sword around that no one else but you would get hurt?! Dumbass! Look what happened since you came: Neji's dead because of _you_, Hinata and Lee almost got killed because we came for information for _your_ vengeful mission against the Akatsuki; and now they're going to fight even harder, not just against you, but against all my friends that I got left!

"You don't even care what Neji told you, did ya?!" He continued, his eyes starting to manifest tears and become reddened. As his speech progressed, his gaze began to avert, looking farther and farther down until his watery eyes looked down at his feet. "we've suffered so much! We've had to watch our friends die just so we could live! I've even seen people I called comrades abandon us so that they could save their own skins because how hopeless this world has become! If...If Big Bro Naruto was here...if...if he stopped Pain..._none of this would be happening!_"

It was then that everyone grew still and solemn. While Konohamaru sobbed between his ragged breaths, everyone who would have spoken seemed to think differently. Despite the audacity of Konohamaru's words, they held a painful truth behind them. One of which no one else would add to or question.

When Ichigo finally spoke, it wasn't as angry as it started out to be.

"You're right, I don't understand what you've endured and you have to go through now," Ichigo said, his stature becoming less stiff and relaxing. Even his words became quieter as his eyes looked downwards while Konohamaru looked up at him. "my life, while I can say is similar in certain ways, has been radically different in many others. I never had to suffer or undergo such prolonged trials. My perspective may even seem naive in some respects compared to what you had to put up with."

Moegi looked at Konohamaru and then back at Ichigo. The Substitute's hardened gaze seemed to have softened, even looking equally forlorn as the rest. Only when his eyes looked back up with a rekindled light that she truly saw the essence of his strong persona, reinforced by his words.

"But, I can tell you this," Ichigo said with reinforced strength, his throat tightening as his eyes met the boy's, his own fist upraised and clenching in front of himself, "I know what its like to be helpless. I can't tell you about the many times I've felt desperate or incredibly weak in the past. I've lost the most important person in my life because I was weak and unable to protect myself. The fact that Neji had to step in to save me gnaws away at my very being!

"And yet, I know I'm different than what I was. I'm stronger than I ever had been in the past. While I was careless this time, I know I can use my strength better if I'm given the chance. I will stop the Akatsuki, and I won't needlessly throw my life into jeopardy to do it either! I'll do everything in my power to save this world from its own misery and bring down the bastards that made it this way!" Ichigo proclaimed, fist-pumping in front of the young boy.

Moegi, upon hearing Ichigo speak such words,

"_You are a splendid Kunoichi, Moegi. Even throughout the years, you've taken the time to learn what your weaknesses are and what you can do to improve upon yourself. You are one of the cornerstones of Konoha, being its next generation. Help those of your age, like Konohamaru and Udon. Together you will pave the way to a better tomorrow and become even more legendary Ninja than those of our failed generation. Never doubt yourself or your abilities. Just as Naruto never doubted in himself, even at the very end!_"

"Neji," Moegi whispered lowly to herself, feeling tears flow down her own cheeks, heating up her face as her lips trembled at that memory. "thank you for believing in me..."

Lee looked down at his own feet, his hands twitching at his sides while his arms felt limp. His rival and best friend since Naruto's departure had been killed, doing something when he was put on the sidelines. He wished that he was by his side in the end, at the very least saying he tried to help save the stoic and confident genius of Gentle Fist. His eyes long stopped projecting tears as before, now simply staring down with a far-off gaze, not even acknowledging his surroundings.

"_Lee. I've thought about what you said, how you want to someday determine the difference between our Taijutsu. Having fought Naruto, perhaps I've misjudged your determination and will to overcome natural talent with your own hard effort. One day, when the world has quieted, we can settle the score and prove which one of us is the better Martial Artist?_"

"_I am sorry, Neji, for not being able to settle the score between us,_" Lee thought, his fists closing tightly into fists, just as his eyes knitted tightly together. "_but...I am going to strive to become better than I was! If only for the fact you would want me to! Doing that maybe will close the gap between us, right, Neji?!_"

Finally, trailing the farthest back was Hinata. She had been the most subdued member of their squad since hours before. Drained of her emotional outpour, the young Hyūga's bangs had overshadowed her eyes, now looking more like blank lavender lenses than mesmerising orbs. Even the conversations around seemed to be drowned out by the shock she experienced not too long ago.

Just hearing Ichigo's voice, however, brought her out of her stupor. Blinking a few times, she held her right hand up to her mouth, releasing a startled gasp.

"_Just for a moment, I almost thought I heard Naruto,_" She thought.

* * *

After renewing their spirits, the Squad progressed in its journey down south for another couple hours of hiking. Seeing as the middle of the afternoon, they had a brief break of exchanging snacks between each other. While only the childish Konohamaru was surprised that Ichigo, accomplish inhuman feats and his claims as a spirit, could eat the rest shrugged it off as they renewed their stamina.

Only a few minutes of idle chatter and genuinely peaceful silence passed by before a question emerged.

"Care I bring something up, Mister Kurosaki?" _Kabuto_ brought up, having finished the majority of his humble snack.

"Wahf es fet?!" Ichigo asked through stuffed lips, his mouth chock full of a number of rice balls and other variety of foods they could spare. In comparison to the rest, he looked as if he was starving. Though none could complain given what he fought and how hard he fought earlier that morning.

Seeing that his response brought a few giggles from Moegi and an annoyed roll of the eyes by Konohamaru, the Substitute sighed through his nostrils. Swallowing heavily, he let out a brief apology under his breath. Turning his gaze back to Kabutomaru's subordinate, he addressed him properly in his cross-legged stance, assumed by all in the small clearing next around a ring of trees, "What is it?"

"Being one of the only ones to actually see your battle with Sasuke firsthand, I thought it best that we should begin your training immediately," K-7 brought up in a straightforward, if not tactfully cold tone.

"You aren't the most polite guy, you know that?" Ichigo said with a dry tone, his eyes twitching at what the grey-haired man said.

"Don't you think it would be wise?" The spectacle endowed man inquired, pressing upon the rim of his glasses up just enough to catch a glimmer of light off the lenses.

"Well, yeah, but I didn't think it needed to be so soon," Ichigo admitted reluctantly, scratching the back of his head with his left hand. "how long is it till we reach our destination?"

"A few days of precautious travel at best. It may take longer if we run across Shinbu or any eyes of Pain along the way. That should give us plenty of time to at least familiarize you with the basics of Shinobi Arts if not teach you how best to nullify them," K-7 responded succinctly, lower his hand from his face to place palm down on his lap.

"True," The Shinigami agreed, his lips tightening at the grim prospect of meeting another Akatsuki so soon, "considering it wasn't even a day after I killed the first pair to meet the third, I wouldn't be too far off to guess another one may be on his way."

"Precisely why I suggest, once we wrap up our break, we begin our training exercises," Kabuto proposed with a business-like nod. Turning to look at each of the gathered squadmates, he pointed at each of them appropriately, "Lee, I'll need you to gauge Mister Kurosaki's Taijutsu prowess. Hinata will help supervise and lay down how any demonstrations should be introduced and how sparring should be handled."

"Roger!" Lee said with a dutiful salute, his face passively serious, "you can count on me!"

"I'll do my best," Hinata muttered with a nod, her visage more dispassionate than distant now.

"Konohamaru," K-7 turned his Sun-glimmering lenses in the Sarutobi's direction, "you're to use and introduce the style of Ninjutsu combat. If he can somehow catch a few tricks and use it for his own benefit, that is fine. The main point of this exercise is to make him understand and counter various Jutsus that will undoubtedly be at least touched upon in his future battles."

"I won't get in trouble if he gets bang up, right?" Konohamaru asked with a mischievous grin on his face.

"What's that, you little shi-?!"

"No you don't!" Moegi interrupted Ichigo's angry retort with a hammerfist cuff on top of the boy's crown. The reaction was instant, recoiling from the shock and rubbing his head from the impact, eyes already tearing up comically. "be good for once! Or do I have to make sure you do?"

"Fine Fine! Just don't hit me again, Moegi," Konohamaru reassured with a visible wincing motion, rubbing his brown locks further.

"Next, I'd like you, Moegi," The glass-toting man continued, gaining the orange pigtailed girl's attention, "to teach him the arts of Illusions and traps. I'm not entirely aware of your skill set involves Genjutsu or Fūinjutsu, but I'm-"

"Actually," Moegi interrupted, her cheeks flushing out of embarrassment for doing so, but continuing none-the-less with a raise of her left hand, "I'm actually pretty good at Genjutsu. Fūinjutsu isn't my speciality, but I do know a few types and I'm sure I can pass on what I know to Ichigo."

"Fantastic!" K-7 praised, causing the bright haired girl to blush even further, continuing uninhibited by such a visible reaction. "that will make my job a bit easier."

"Oh yeah?" Ichigo asked, crossing his arms, cocking his head to the side as he inquired. "what are you going to teach me?"

"Mostly specific details on those Info Cards you've yet to study about the Akatsuki," Kabuto continued, pressing up against his glasses once more. When he finished, an expression of solemn tone glossed over his face, as he locked eyes with Ichigo with an unnerving amount of focus as his voice lowered appropriately. "I'm going to teach you a few things about the Forbidden Jutsu that Master Kabutomaru has allowed me to inform you of."

* * *

**First Lesson:** Taijutsu

The first lesson seemed like the most irrelevant in the Shinigami's opinion. Having learned martial arts which devolved into a form of street fighter style of his own, Ichigo had a good grasp on hand to hand combat. From his time invading the Soul Society he had faced opponents bare handed or used it when he felt there was no need of his Zanpakutō. Even in the past two days he was able to subdue and incapacitate many Ninja with just his natural powers and his fists as his weapon of choice.

That was, until he fought Sasuke Uchiha.

When their fight went prolonged, he found that the prodigy warrior could land many a hit before his own could connect. Barring the fact he had, what he described as freaky eyes, one technique caught him totally off guard. He intended to find out what that was in this lesson of his.

"Alright," Lee said after the fiftieth stretch, finally assuming his traditional fighting stance. "let us see how good you are. Come at me with all you have!"

"Uhhhh," Ichigo dryly uttered, his brow line already forming a nervous sweat as he hunched forward. "are you sure that's a good idea? I don't want to hurt ya..."

"Do not worry about me. I am much sturdier than I look," Lee said with a smile, beckoning him with a curl of his outstretched hand, keeping his other tucked underneath the small of his back. With a twinkle of his eye, he added further, "you should also take off your sword. Any unnecessary weight will slow you down."

"You're serious?" Ichigo inquired, his hand already reaching for the red banded bandoleer over his chest. With a few fidgeting motions, the clasp that held his bandaged blade to his back fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

"I want to determine your strength, not just as a fighter, but also as someone who can handle my all," Lee said with straightforwardness.

"If that's what you want," Ichigo said with visible unease, settling into his own crouched, right side facing forward with his left positioned behind.

"**_Now show me your flames of youth!_**" Lee shouted, his eyes engulfed in flames of comical passion.

"_This guy is nuts! Tatsuki doesn't even come close to this kind of eccentric,_" Ichigo recoiled slightly at the sight of the visibly insane Shinobi, howling out with unsettling invitation. Knitting his brows inward, he decided to erase any pretense of unease. This was _training _after all. No need to become too tense, just throw out what was necessary to knock out any human he's come across.

The air finally became quiet as the banter ceased. Even breaths weren't registered, just the hardened gazes between two fighters. A single leaf fluttered down between them, bending in the air to and fro. Upon touching the ground, the Substitute took flight, and send it back up into the air.

In a blur of black silk, Ichigo hurtled his right first forward upon arrival, his momentum carrying a gust of wind in his wake. Even as the buffet of air slammed into Lee, he managed to time a block intuitively, palming Ichigo's right punch away from his face to thrust over his shoulder. Carrying the weight of the deflection over, Lee spun around on his right heel, bending his lower body back as to angle a spinning axe kick to the side of Ichigo's left jaw. Seeing Ichigo's eyes read the telegraphed motion and swing his left arm to absorb the kick with the back of his hand, caused him to smile.

Before a grappling hand could snatch the touching foot, the Leaf Shinobi spun his body in an opposing direction. Bending his right knee upon his torso's reversion of posture, his left sole tapped onto the ground, balancing him as his right cocked knee raised up to be parallel to his sternum. Without wasting a second, Lee grunted out in sync with a dozen flurries of snap kicks, all aimed at various vital spots on Ichigo's person.

"_He's a little stronger than Sasuke. Just blocking these kicks sting!_" Ichigo noted with a grimacing expression. His arms were a blur to keep up with the rapid succession of kicks, each one of them subsequently well timed and differently paced than the last.

Seeing the kicks suddenly halt, the bowl cut Ninja lunged his body forward into the Substitute's personal space. Slamming his propped up leg into the ground, Lee swung his right arm with a powerful jabbing motion towards Ichigo's face. Eyes widened, teeth clenched, the bandaged fist rushed up without slowing down in its approach to the angled jaw line.

A loud clap of flesh meeting knuckles sounded a moment later. The force of impact was enough to distill the grass underneath their feet, sending downed leaves upwards and billowing away from their feet. If any onlooker had blinked, they wouldn't know what happened until seconds later.

One bandaged set of knuckles would be firmly palmed by a horizontally aligned set of digits. The fist seemed all but less than a foot away from making contact with Ichigo's face, the sign of visible tension still written on his visage with a bead of sweat crawling down his brow to emphasize his wide eyed shock. Equally surprised was the thrower of the punch, finding it almost unbelievable that his punch was literally caught before making contact.

"_This man...he is as fast and strong as I am,_" Rock Lee thought with realization, his fist finally extracting slowly away, rubbing his knuckles at the dull ache of hitting the Shinigami's hand. "_he does not even seem like he exerted much when I went full power from the start. Truly he is as physically capable as he is with his powerful Chakra._"

"Damn, you're good," Ichigo said with admittance, a wry grin working its way past his diminishing trepidation as he lowered his hand down to his side. "you were able to counter me as well as throw that kind of punch? You'd easily give Chad a run for his money."

"Ah, thanks," Lee said humbly, bowing politely to Ichigo before producing a smile of his own, "I have never seen someone quite like you handle yourself so well. I can see that you are more than prepared to handle the more advanced part of our training."

"Can't wait!" Ichigo said with growing excitement, finding a foreign yet enjoyable excitement welling within him. He never thought the prospect of using his powers in strict martial arts combat for purely competitive purposes to be this enticing. He could only wonder what other techniques this humble appearing fighter had in store for him.

Yet, Ichigo realized they weren't supposed to be alone.

Looking over to his left, he saw Hinata, leaning against the trunk of a tall tree. While they had started their training in a well lit meadow, she had remained adamantly quiet, her eyes carrying a distant gaze behind them. Even now, she looked as if she was staring past them, rather than acknowledging what was transpiring.

"Yo!" Ichigo called out, waving towards Hinata.

The sudden shout towards her caused her to visibly jump, her withdrawn demeanor shrinking at being called out so suddenly.

"Y-Yes?" She asked shakily, parting some of her bangs away from her eyes.

"Were you paying attention? I thought you were supposed to oversee my training? Remember?" Ichigo called out with both hands cupped over his mouth.

"I...yes. Sorry," She called out meekly. She bowed her head briefly before rising up, producing a smile and cheery toned response, "you keep on ahead. I'll do better in watching."

"Oh, okay," Ichigo said with reluctance, turning his attention back at the silently aware Lee. With a nod, they'd both resume their sparring, occasionally taking breaks to comment and remark about various methods used in their fighting styles. It was productive as it was informative to Ichigo, though he felt no huge leap in understanding the physical form of combat Ninjas used was entirely different than those who specialize in it back home.

As he'd resume his training in earnest, Hinata's eyes looked over her shoulder, her arms holding her chest closely. Breathing out a shaky sigh, she felt herself feel a bit on edge as her thoughts continued to wander. "Was that...Neji's voice I heard just now?"

* * *

**Second Lesson:** Ninjutsu

"Here I coooooooooooooooooooooome!" Konohamaru shouted gallantly, his person rushing towards Ichigo without any time wasted. With his scarf trailing in the wind in the wake of his charge, the boy rushed at him with all the speed he could muster.

"_Is this kid nuts? Why is he charging at me like a maniac?_" Ichigo thought with a series of dry twitches forming across his brows. Having agreed to spend some time right after his refreshing, if not slightly winding training with Lee, to learn a few fundamentals about Ninjutsu he began to have doubts. Like, for one, why they'd sic a immature child to _teach_ him anything about Jutsu?

Grasping the hilt of his Zanpakutō, the Substitute let out a sigh of resignation, realizing he had little choice now that he was here. Watching the boy leap up into the air, hurtling himself in a semblance of a tackle, his whole body heavily thrown towards him. It looked like the move an amateur would perform, in his eyes.

A swing of his bandaged sword's edge, it caught the boy halfway down, causing his body to warp and curl to one side from the casual amount of force bludgeoning his torso. Instead of reeling around in a sprawling manner, the entire body exploded into a spurt of smoke, completely erasing any signs of his body.

"_A Clone?_" Ichigo realized with widened eyes, recognizing the technique as similar to the Substitution technique the other Akatsuki had utilized.

Looking over his shoulders, he saw a single thrown Shuriken multiply into two dozen. Having seen this trick used many a time, Ichigo simply chose to not blind his own senses through knocking back the projectiles. Instead he aimed to block the handful of Shurikens assured to hit him, employing his cloth-bound sword to hit the first dozen while the others spun haplessly past him.

What he didn't count on was sudden explosions of smoke emanating behind him, forming half a dozen Konohamarus to attack him from behind.

"_This kid's smart, I'll give him that much!_" Ichigo inwardly complimented, turning on his heels to swing his sword in a wide swipe, catching half of the Clones in mid leap by their sides. In a spray of smoke, he dispatched the other three with a snap kick, a hammer fist, and an elbow jab. In the end, he created a thick smokescreen, created by the natural essence of the Clones themselves.

The sudden sound of energy thrumming in the air alerted the Shinigami of his backside being targeted. Turning around, he saw the smoke part as a pair of Konohamarus charged forward with a rotating sphere in between their hands. Judging by the pressure and intensity of the attack hovering before their palms, it looked to be as big as their torsos, not to mention possessed a great deal of firepower.

Yet, the idea of challenging such an attack seemed welcoming to the orange tressed man.

Stabbing his sword into the earth, Ichigo thrust out both palms to push back at the impending Chakra ball of high rotational energy. Immediately his feet dug in as the roar of energy pressed against his hands with unending ferocity. Rolling tongues of white and blue continued to pulse, thrumming at an almost deafening decibel in front of the devout spiritual warrior. Even then, Ichigo didn't relent in his resistance to the Jutsu, impressive or not.

Generating his own power to the surface along his hands, energy began to ebb and crackle between the sphere's outline. Wafting trails of blue energy projected from his two hands as he pushed back harder, his eyes knitting with focus and resolve. Without turning to look, he could feel the ground distend and shatter by mere proximity, the waves of Chakra seeming to effect their footing as well as their environment.

When Ichigo decided he had enough, he generated a pulse of his own energy to bludgeon into the ball of rotating Chakra. In an instant, everything turned white. His ears rang as his body was incidentally was folded into the blaze of a voluminous explosion. Hearing the cries of his teacher flying helplessly in the air, however, made it all the more worth it.

Upon hitting a tree trunk, Konohamaru gasped as he fell onto his hands and knees to the ground below with a painful thud. Breathing heavily from being on the receiving end of the blast. Looking up, however, caused him to practically gape at what he saw.

"N-No way," He gasped, seeing that a large tear in the earth with steam pouring from it was made by the Jutsu's employment. Where Ichigo stood it seemed that it was totally untouched by the destructive force and was directed away from him. Even as trails of steam ebbed from his outstretched hands, not a single scratch was seen upon his finger tips. "he grabbed my Ōdama Rasengan and redirected it back towards me?! What kind of monster is he?!"

"Whew," Ichigo exhaled with relief, standing upright to dust his hands off, "that was some technique. If I hadn't used my hands I probably would have taken some damage. Not sure if it'd be that much, but I wasn't willing to find out. Nice one, kid."

"D-Don't patronize me!" The boy said with frustrated indignation, rising to his feet, balling his fists in preparation to continue. "I'm not nearly through yet!"

"If you say so," The Substitute chuckled, his hand already grabbing the hilt of his covered sword, propping it onto his right shoulder with readiness, "show me more of what you got."

* * *

**Lesson 3:** Genjutsu

"Since it seemed you were getting carried away in your other two lessons, Ichigo," Moegi began in a patronizing tone, her arms crossed over her chest as she glared at the strawberry headed man, "I'll be cutting out Fūinjutsu out for today and come back to it later. Genjutsu will be our main focus at this point."

For once, Ichigo didn't have room to complain. Instead of taking standard allotted time they planned on, a mere hour each, they had taken nearly two and three hours each. Whether it was through the rush of competition or intrigue of proving his own strength, Ichigo kept at it long past the point he realized was enough. After all, the day was almost done, and they had a lot of ground to cover before they could train again in the early hours of the tomorrow.

Squinting through the treeline, Ichigo could see the orange glow of the setting Sun, as dusk began to settle over the land. The ground was worn and littered with craters among the disheveled meadow. Hardly a battlefield, even with six more craters similar to the one caused at the beginning of Ichigo's bout with Konohamaru, it still felt peaceful to kneel in a relaxed standing posture.

"Yeah-Yeah," Ichigo sighed, waving his hand dismissively as he looked to the side without care.

Rolling her eyes, Moegi realized teaching Ichigo was going to be like teaching an older Konohamaru.

"Now listen," Moegi pointed in the larger man's direction, earning his attentive stare once more, "Genjutsu isn't like Taijutsu or Ninjutsu. It isn't simply a form of offensive force designed to kill or incapacitate. Illusions and trickery is all part of these arts."

"Illusions?" Ichigo voiced aloud, his eyes widening at remembering the bizarre experience of drowning in blood.

"Yes," Moegi nodded, her face drawn into a more stoic, serious visage to match her level tone. "it is designed to send signals of some sort through one's Chakra to another's, harnessed by one of the five target's senses. Each illusions can be projected differently, depending on the Shinobi and the means of sending that illusion towards their enemies. Sometimes it's through sound, often seen as the most dangerous, as it can permeate the air while they remain hidden and are unable to be found until the spell is already cast. Others require direct skin contact to imbed it into the nerves, or have you smell and taste it in the very air. Even by making visual contact to the medium of the hypnotist's tool or body part will cause you to be drawn into their control."

"_Great. As if Aizen wasn't enough. Now I got to deal with a ton of guys who can mess with my head,_" Ichigo thought glumly, his face drawing a sour expression at the thought of being mentally screwed with.

Seeing Ichigo become depressed at this news, Moegi waved her hands insistently, "But! While I may not have the skill to teach you how to weave Genjutsu, I may be able to give you firsthand experience so you may learn how to nullify it."

Ichigo blinked at this. He remembered the hand that pulled him out and swore it was Zangetsu who came to his rescue. Did his Zanpakutō dispel the Genjutsu or was it his own instinct to dispel it?

"**Ichigo.**"

Finding his breath hitch, he felt his heart skip a beat when he heard that ominous toned voice ring in the air. Looking over to his left, he saw the physical manifestation of Zangetsu. Draped in his black overcoat, curtails of fur were seen wrapped over his collar, cuffs and his amorphous ended cloak. White rimmed dark shades looked at Ichigo fully, hints of his golden-black eyes, ever-so glowing with a burning only his Shinigami master could understand. Even his hair had traces of white follicles intermingling with dark brown hairs, looking to be in passive motion as his attire appeared to be.

"_Speaking of the proverbial Devil,_" Ichigo trailed off, finding his thoughts linked to Zangetsu himself. Their conversation caused time to slow from his perspective of Moegi and his environment.

"**The illusion that you faced wasn't shattered of your own volition, but through my guiding hand,**" He revealed, stoically and without any hint of pride in his actions. "**I am willing to counter any tricks your opponents may use against your senses for the future. Though, it may be wise for you to learn how to do it on your own.**"

"Well, I was going to do that now," Ichigo responded irritatedly, narrowing his eyes at his Zanpakutō with a side-glancing glare, "my _teacher_ was going to instruct me as to how..."

"**Her methods, while useful for a human, will not be as effective for you as a Shinigami. I'll give you instructions in allowing you to break them more efficiently, if not for lesser spells. It will only take a few moments,**" Zangetsu insisted, turning his body to fully face him, earning a direct turn of Ichigo's own form.

"Alright," Ichigo nodded, turning his attention to his spiritual partner. The world seemed to bend and shift, as Zangetu's dialogue continued in a perception that surpassed the time it would have taken him ordinarily to understand. It was the same type of conversation he had with him during his battle with Kenpachi Zaraki, when he was at death's door.

By the time it was over, Ichigo would hear the trailing inquiry of the young Kunoichi beside himself.

"...alright what?" Moegi inquired, finding the Substitute's actions derail into a few seconds of low muttering and movement.

Standing still for the longest time, Ichigo finally blinked out of whatever stupor he was in, turning his attention back to Moegi. A confident smile stretched across his face, reinforced by a hand raising up in a beckoning manner. "Go ahead and throw whatever tricks you got. I'm ready now."

"Wha-?!" Moegi sputtered with confusion. Waving her arms, she asked incredulously, "what are you talking about?! I was just about to explain how you could break a Genjutsu. What makes you think you can handle it now?"

"Just trust me on this," Ichigo said with a nod of his head, smiling with reassurance to his young tutor. "show me what you got."

"_Is he for real? What made him so cocky all of a sudden?_" Moegi thought with a few moments of unease. Letting out a relenting sigh, Moegi began to form a number of hand signs as she approached Ichigo's person. Pressing her hand out in a splayed manner over Ichigo's clothed abdomen, she briefly pressed against it, sending a pulse of Chakra out from her pores into Ichigo's.

"I'm activating the Genjutsu now," Moegi announced, raising up her right hand to present her forefingers in an upraised manner.

It only took a few seconds before Ichigo felt the effects of the Genjutsu start. Starting at his right hand, he could feel a defining numbness start to climb up from his fingertips up to his elbow. Just trying to grip it seemed impossible and before he knew it, his arm seemed completely immobile. The same could be said for his leg, causing him to wobble on his good one as he tried to keep balance.

"_It seems my _**Jinto**_ Jutsu is working on him. What is he going to do-?_"

What she was looking for happened sooner than she expected. A dazzling flourishment of Chakra, so thick that it was tangible and very much visible before the young Kunoichi's eyes. It took upon the form of electrical currents, flowing to and fro across the Shinigami's form, seeming to coil around his very being in a protective nature. Seconds after this happened she'd see him stand upright and not affected in the slightest by her Genjutsu.

"W-What did...did you just...break the Genjutsu?!" Moegi exclaimed, her mouth hanging open and her eyes almost bulging out.

"Worked like a charm," Ichigo muttered with a smile, his vibrant aura dying down as soon as it was formed. "sorry, but Zangetsu insisted that he could teach me a method of dispelling Genjutsu. He'll be doing it when I'm in the thick of battle, but he wanted me to do it on my own, so he took some time to teach me."

"What...you mean your sword?" Moegi began to ask, pointing towards the large bandaged hilt sticking up from the Substitute's back. "it...taught you?"

"Yeah, didn't I explain that it's alive?" Ichigo asked, arching a brow with perplexion.

"No. Well, not to me!" She blurted out, pulling at her pigtails with visible frustration.

"Uh, are you okay?"

"What was the point in this...training you...ah, whatever!" Moegi huffed, her body turning sharply away from a very confused Ichigo as she stomped away from the training grounds.

"What just happened?" Ichigo asked himself with visible confusion.

* * *

**Lesson Four:** Kinjutsu

"So she just left you?" Kabuto inquired, looking himself quite flabbergasted. Having arrived only on the scene a minute after its end, he ran across a visibly upset Moegi who stomped back to their designated campsite. Expecting it to go on much longer than it should have, he immediately questioned a confused Ichigo about what had happened.

"Yeah," Ichigo nodded, scratching the back of his neck as he was left further annoyed about the ending of his lesson, "I mean, I just showed her that I could handle that Genjutsu she pulled off. Was that like the only one she could do? Did I hurt her feelings? I'm not sure..."

"Clearly you two have some things that need sorting out, but that will have to wait later," K-7 quickly changed subjects, getting straight to the matter at hand. With the dwindling light, he wanted to spend as much productive time with the Shinigami as possible. Considering the distance they'll have to travel before they can train peacefully again, they all needed a good night's sleep. In addition they needed to keep an eye out for the enemy in case they veer in their direction.

Regaining the Substitute's attention, Kabuto continued, "Listen, I will delve more on tips for combating the Akatsuki before we turn in for the night, but I want to go over a few things..."

"They are?" Ichigo asked curtly.

"The Forbidden Arts of Jutsu are very much like Advanced techniques that have dangerous side effects or morally ambiguous consequences of using them," He began, raising a hand up for demonstration. "some Jutsu allow a user to mold his or her Chakra to increase the body's ability to fight at a peak no one can normally achieve. The Eight Inner Gates is what it is called. Rock Lee is a master of this Kinjutsu, finding a way to make his Taijutsu only style of combat work to his advantage."

"_That explains why he seems especially strong in a physical sense,_" Ichigo thought, not interrupting K-7 as he continued speaking.

"Others are the pursuits of geniuses and madmen, able to reconstruct the body of the dead and imbue it with the soul. While I cannot say or determine any of the Akatsuki of using such methods, you can call some of their...pragmatic solutions to be bordering such dark arts. It will be unnerving to face any such force, be it legitimate or bona fide Forbidden Jutsu," Kabuto explained.

It was something that made Ichigo's insides twist. The very thought of the dead being disturbed and being used for their own aims sickened him. They were people, and even if their souls were long gone, it sounded so wrong. The way that Kabuto said it, however, as methods close to it being pragmatic made him angry such techniques even exist for common use. Yet he knew, he himself was a product of dark power. His Hollowfication, as a result of awakening his Zanpakutō, been an untamable force with barely any form of control capable of harnessing it. It was only through the Fullbring that he managed to form a perfect union between Zangetsu and his Inner Hollow.

Could he really condemn those with their own sinister power when he used such terrifying power?

"They may not all be bad powers to possess," Ichigo began to say, drawing Kabuto's attention back to him, seeing his thumb drive hard into his chest for dramatic emphasis, "but, if this world is the result of their use of such powers, then I don't give a damn if it's practical or dangerous to use. Bad power can only be used badly if people with selfish or sinister intentions employ it without thinking. I've already mastered my own demons to get this kind of strength and I'll challenge anyone who's wanting to test their dark powers against me!"

K-7 couldn't help but crack a smile at the speech filled with bravado.

"Well spoken," He said, his features reverting back to one of impassivity before continue, "but that zeal won't win you a war alone. Now, let's discuss a bit about your enemy before we retire for the night..."

* * *

**Elsewhere...**

"And that's what I've concluded from recounting the battle that Zetsu's recorded," The voice of Madara spoke aloud, his presence dimly silhouetted by the shine of a handful of projected lights.

The room itself was dark, covered with all manner of tables and tubular containers wafting of freezing compounds. The stench of chemicals concealing the worst stench of decayed flesh was in the air though was long since adapted by the two occupants. While the air was chilling in the expansive room, the two men standing within it hardly seemed bothered by it.

"Interesting," Shinnō said with a voice of intrigue. Hands covered by long green medical gloves, covered in blood and ichor, continued to cut and pry open the body before him. It was lithe and feminine, though the adjustments he had to make in replicating its appearance was the more troubling matter. Though for a man of his position and skill, it wasn't more than a mundane chore than a difficult task. It did give him some amount of relief, though, that he was being informed by a colleague during the ongoing process of his work. "that will definitely aid in my examination of him in the coming days I toy with him. I appreciate the information, Madara."

"I thought it be best coming from me than Zetsu," Madara said matter-of-factly, his eyes looking down at the specimen on the surgery table currently being cut into, "is that-?"

"Thought you'd recognize her," Shinnō said with a dark smile, taking time to stroke the feminine cheek that had yet to be completed to the quality he yearned for, "while it was bothersome to dredge up previous tissue samples and start _growing_ from scratch, I managed to grow the body back to what it was in life. She'll be quite useful to me."

"Might I suggest an improvement to the body's design?" Madara asked politely.

"Go ahead," Shinnō gestured to the womanly form, "what's on your mind?"

"Perhaps a limited amount of self healing would better her performance? I'm sure you can use your own technique as a basis for the recovery method for the body?" Madara hinted aloud with an underlying layer of amusement.

"That might work. I usually don't consider pawns, even pretty ones, worth the trouble but I can make an exception," Shinnō laughed heartily, not bothered by the callous insinuation within his speech.

"Then I'll leave you to it then," Madara said matter-of-factly, the air suddenly warping as he evaporated out of thin air in a cyclonic motion. "good hunting, Shinnō."

As soon as Madara left, an ominous rumbling could be heard and felt throughout the room. If one other than Shinnō was there, they could feel it projecting its voice into the very essence of the being it spoke to. Everywhere yet not really there at all. Like a spectre of dark origins its voice grated across the air like daggers across stone.

"**_How goes your work, Shinnō?_**"

"It's taken me half a day for the reconstruction process to work, once I had learned of their fate, but I should be almost done," Shinnō explained matter-of-factly, applying another incision before digging his fingers into the malleable flesh. Turning his head over towards the shadows, he watched them flicker and warp, as if it was being disturbed by an unseen entity. "and you? Have you made contact with the Reaper's team?"

"**_I have._**"

"Anyone in particular you're interested in, besides the Spirit in question?" Shinnō asked again, parting more of the tissue, placing a number of powders before sealing it back up in place.

"_**There is one. She is perfect for what I have in mind.**_"

"Then feel free to strike at the moment of your choosing," Shinnō said with a elated smile, entwining a line of stitches through a series of punctured holes of fair complexioned flesh. "I leave it up to your discretion when that transpires. Let me know how it goes afterwards."

"**_As you wish._**"

Just short of the entity's disappearance, a booming laugh shook the confines of the laboratory of Shinnō's. He couldn't help but smile and shake his head, finding his ally's sense of humor amusing to himself. As he continued his work, Shinnō commented to his specimen, "Your time will come as well, my dear. I'm sure at least one of them will be left alive. Well...mostly alive..."

* * *

**Later that night...**

Hinata found that she had been restless since earlier that afternoon. From feeling nothing but the abstract state of exhausted grief to being detached from everything around herself, she began hearing things just outside of audibility. When Ichigo broke her out of her stupor the first time, she had thought the whispers belonged to Naruto, beckoning for her attention within the corner of her eye. Later that day it was Neji, yet she knew he was not among them. The sense of unease began to grow within her as the whispers continued to echo around her. They plagued her waking consciousness yet tired her further by just being around them.

She found herself curled up in a squatted seat next to a tree, a good dozen meters away from the campfire they set up earlier that evening. With Moegi helping set up their bedrolls and gathering equipment, with Kabuto setting up food for everyone later that night, she was very much left alone. Long after Ichigo had stopped training with the rest of the squad, Lee began his own daily routine while the Substitute himself practiced idly within the corner of her eye.

After mealtime and shifts of who would keep watch first were established, Hinata found herself short of dozing off. Perhaps the exhaustion coupled with grief was making her hear things. Maybe some rest would help clear her mind of-

"Yo."

"Eep!" Hinata squeaked out in surprise, finding herself turning her head to her right and holding up her hands to cup her mouth. The figure, overcasted by the dim lunar light and the orange glow covering his right side by the campfire, was none other than the man from another world; Ichigo Kurosaki.

"Ah, sorry," Ichigo said with a hint of embarrassment, holding up a hand apologetically, "I didn't mean to startle ya."

"N-No, it wasn't your fault," Hinata said with a hurried wave of her hands in sync with an insistent shake of her head. "I was just lost in thought. That's all."

"You seemed to be doing that a lot, actually," The orange tressed man said pointedly, scratching the side of it as he looked down at her. As the conversation dipped into uncomfortable silence, he purposely kept it from extending unnecessarily by continuing with a belated sigh. "look, I know what happened must have shaken you up a lot. Not sure how anyone in your situation-"

"Stop," Hinata said sharply, interrupting Ichigo's speech altogether. Without meeting his eyes, she stared at the fire and spoke more dispassionately than before, "I know what you're going to say. It is what anyone would say in your situation. Let me be clear that whatever happened today was simply another body to the pile of people I loved who are now gone. He wasn't the first and I know he won't be the last."

"But-"

"Know that I will be fit for aiding you for this mission. If you continue to press the issue further, I'll insist you stay away from me. It's unhealthy to be that overprotective, Ichigo," Hinata said coldly, turning her bang-covered eyes to look over her left shoulder, opposite of Ichigo's direction. "now please, get some rest while you can. We won't have peace and quiet forever."

Ichigo felt himself at a loss for words. He had simply wished to see if she was alright and if she needed anyone to talk to. After what she experienced, he knew she needed it more than anyone. This conversation proved she required it, but her words cut at his heart deeper than any blade or spell could. Guilt overpowered his desire to be there any longer, and he soon found himself looking down and silently walking away, aiming for a more isolated spot of the campsite.

What he didn't know was by the time he left, a teary eyed Hinata would already be drifting to sleep.

* * *

_Everything was cloudy._

_Like a murkiness that stung the eyes. Was that sulfur? She couldn't determine what was creating this sensation of irritation, only to be mirrored by a wave of pain. It ran up and down the side of her face. Reaching up she could feel the warm sensation of blood, staining her already cut and grimy palm. Struggling up to her hands and knees, she looked over in front of her._

_"_N-Neji_?" Hinata whispered aloud. _

_She tried to comprehend what she was seeing. Among the rubble of familiar buildings and a fire strewn street, there he was. Her cousin in the flesh but wearing his standard attire, layers of dust and blood caking the edges of his sleeves. A hardened look overcame his normally stoic visage, as heavy breaths were inhaled and exhaled, his eyes staring forward as his body tensed. _

_"Come to save her? How noble of you, Neji," the vile voice of Sasuke dripped from his mouth like poison, a sneer stretching across his face as toxic as the crimson light his eyes projected. With sword in hand, dripping rich with ichor of his recent kills and would-be targets, he stared with an undeniable animosity at Neji. Everything screamed about his posture as a killer and someone who wanted to tear her cousin apart before her eyes. "it doesn't matter. When I'm finished with you, I'll slaughter everyone else he found precious to him!"_

_"You know that's not going to happen!" Neji said in protest, his body remaining firm and steeled, ready to face him in mortal combat. _

_Something began to click in Hinata's mind. Despite the surreality of sensations coursing through her form, she couldn't deny the point of view she had, and the familiar surroundings. This wasn't a dream, it was a nightmare of the past!_

_"_Wake up! Wake up!_" Hinata croaked, holding onto her head as she tried to shake herself out of this dream. She knew what was to transpire after this seemingly well choreographed exchange of blows and words. She wanted to deny it, but what was to happen was horrifyingly etched into her soul._

_The thunderclap of force being heard from above would alert her of the terrible truth. Looking up, tears already welling in her eyes, she already felt her gasp aloud. Wind flourished her debris caked hair, flapping around her rubble pile proned form. She stared up helplessly and shakily at what was over their heads. _

_Hovering above them all, defying gravity by hovering in the air, was an all too familiar orange tressed man. Draped in a dark overcoat with red clouds emblazoned onto the backdrop, he held out one hand down at the village while the other held up a limp body. The body of a empty, lifeless shell of the once lively and energetic young man he was. The one who inspired her and helped her become more than a pathetic waste. The one who helped carve a path for her life so she could become a stronger person for it. _

_The frail and dead body of Naruto Uzumaki was held up, as if a trophy, within the grasp of Tendo Pain as he spoke in a mockingly declarative tone. _

_"This is the Hero of Konoha you all sacrificed, bled, and killed to protect. The one you have searched for has been drained of what we desired and is nothing more than a testament to the despair this world will feel if they resist. Know this pain and submit, Hidden Leaf!" _

_With a ceremonial drop, the body of her beloved, the one she poured her heart and soul to had fallen. Too far away from where her aching body could traverse, she could only let out a horrible wail of grief. Her whole body wracked of pain as she yelled out in protest the name of the young man who brought hope to a Village that had none._

"Make it stop! Make it stop!" She cried desperately as she dug her hands into the ground, yearning for the nightmare to end already.

"**_I can make the pain all go away, Hinata._**"

Then, a dark and tenderly voice slipped in from behind her, causing her entire body to break out into chills. Looking over her shoulder she saw a white mask, drawn outlines dictating thin wispy eyes with feathery tresses protruding up its top in four, like a bird's. Yet a split within the mask itself showed rows of hidden teeth, visibly smiling at her as unseen eyes looked down at her. A long dark clout of shadows seemed to make up its body, seeming to spread out like a massive bog wall that consumed the scenery behind her ground prone frame.

"**_I can help you have no people who will take away your happiness. Those who are responsible and those who don't understand. They can all go away and leave you alone. I can help with that, Hinata._**"

Feeling sobs wrack her being, she knew the familiar pain mingled with physical sores was only adding salt to an open wound. Looking around, she could already see the scene play out in front of her again, as if it was on a loop. Just seeing the way Naruto was let go made her break a little inside. Every time she saw it happen again and again, she wanted to reach into her chest and tear out her heart. She wanted all the pain and sadness to disappear!

"**_Yessssssssssssss. That's it. Don't let any of them tell you otherwise. They will know your pain just as you have. Make them understand and then, end them!_**"

"End...the...pain," Hinata drawled out in monotone, her vision slowly dimming of the world around her. Unbeknownst to her, a tendril of smoke had wrapped around her frame, slowly enrapturing her until her skin had fully encased in its essence. "end...it...all..."

* * *

**A/N: **Wow. I didn't think I could get it done cause it's 3AM where I am and I need sleep. But I finally did it. And I hope you all enjoy for what it is and the final product. Sorry for having this take so long to update. I would have gotten it sooner, but life seems to distract and prevent me from getting things I love to do done. Hopefully it will take less time for the next update to occur as I do mean to make it my priority due to the latest cliffhanger.

While I know a lot of questions will be raised in this Chapter, MOST of them (like 9.5) of the questions will be answered in the next chapter. It will be glorious, informative, and intense. I hope you love that conclusion as well for I have been planning out this since Chapter 2.

Please leave your thoughts about the Chapter (if it is about my grammatical style, flaws, or errors, please leave a PM instead of it being on the Review. Unless it's a major flaw, I do appreciate keeping error talk to a minimum on the Reviews here.) in the Review section below. I wholeheartedly appreciate all the support and attention this is getting.

A thousand times thank you to Lastation for helping me preview and edit this once again to the crisp quality that it has come in. Please a round of applause for him for helping me out when I needed it.

Finally, it excites me to tell you all that I've breached the 13K Viewing Ceiling! While I know Views aren't that important in the long run, but I never thought a Crossover story, especially about Bleach and Naruto would catch on so well. I'm pleasantly surprised so again, thank you all for your time, effort, and support. Please keep reading and Reviewing in the next update of _Reap the Pain!_


	9. Lurker from the Void

**Reap the Pain**

* * *

In the dead of night, the moon was high in the sky and not a single cloud obstructed the eerie lunar gleam cast over the forest within the Land of Fire. While a single dim orange hue of burning campfire tongues simmered within a meadow bordered by a number of fully leaved trees, only a few were residing within its enclosure. Few chose to take rest, as they felt restless from recent events of the prior day.

One in particular was on his way back from his own late night escapade, away from his squadmates.

Konohamaru breathed heavily as he trudged back towards the current encampment he and his friends called a shelter. Calloused fingers twitched at his sides, freshly cut and mildly burned from the strenuous exertions he put on his body. Sweat beaded down his brow and a thin line of saliva flowed down over his chin, a true sign of how physically exhausted he was.

On the way back as well as during his far off training, he had time to think. Since sparring with Ichigo and talking to him earlier that morning his reflection of his own actions came into his mind. Ever since Pain's declaration of Naruto's death and the stark realization that his namesake's home was gone, he could only feel a sense of restlessness and bitterness settle into his heart.

"_If I had been there for Big Bro Naruto, we could have won,_" Konohamaru thought with partially opened eyes, staring at the ground his feet were treading. He had felt so proud to have used the Rasengan on an enemy for the first time and defeated him when it mattered the most. The fact he was denied a chance to fight side by side with his self appointed rival and official teacher brought him the most sorrow of all.

Reaching up to trace the jagged scar running across the bridge of his nose to the leftmost side of his cheek, he couldn't help but wince. It was only his anger at a traitor being in league of the very people who took his best friend away from him that made him challenge him outright. He had seen him cut down his comrades callously, his cloak not even stained by blood he spilled by his hands as if he were in the right.

Lunging in without a plan or action, he wanted to avenge the person he knew was gone forever. He desired to get back at the one that Naruto wanted desperately to take back into their Village. If it hadn't been for Hinata pulling him back at the last moment, he knew his skull would have been split open.

Since leaving with the survivors, everyone has coddled him in a different way. No longer was he the prodigal child of the third Hokage, destined for greatness and aimed to be the one to become the Village's new head. His sensei and peers kept him out of harm's way and monitored his actions due to his understandably hotheaded behavior. No one trusted him, which only spurred him on to try and do things on his own.

"_I'll show everyone_," Konohamaru thought as he balled up his hands with emphasis. He ignored the dull pain throbbing in his partially dead nerved flesh, clenching his teeth visibly. "_if they'd let me have a chance to prove myself, I promise I won't screw up!_"

When he stepped into the tree filled perimeter of their meadow campsite, a sudden foul odored wind blew around the flora enclosure. It caused his head to raise up, eyes widen, and arms brace over his face in the wake of blistering force striking his scarf adorned frame. By the time the wind died away, the campsite's fire was doused and the orange-red tongues were replaced by another form of light.

It was one that Konohamaru wished didn't light up.

Rising from the trunk of a tree was Hinata, her body burning with a vivid violet aura that darkened her figure into a menacing silhouette. Staggering forward, she pushed off against the burnt and wind blown tower of wood. This caused it to fall backwards from the damage it sustained by the generation of twisted Chakra. By the time her eyes opened, gone were the enchanting lavender pupils and now brimmed with a bright red pair of pupiless orbs.

"End...the...pain," Hinata breathed out, spewing out black vapor of Chakra from her lungs.

"H-H-Hinata?!" Konohamaru breathed out with sudden trepidation, taking a step back, feeling fear well up within. He never saw the dark haired Kunoichi ever look like this, let alone release such terrible power. He couldn't help but ask aloud incredulously, "what happened to you?!"

What happened next wasn't a vocal response, but a physical one. Kicking off the ground with enough force to indent a solid meter of soft soil downwards, Hinata's flak jacketed frame jettisoned forward with arms behind her. Her hair whipped about her head upon appearing in front of the young boy in a crouch, body burning with tangible Chakra that clung to her like flames to dead brush. It was only by instinct that the boy leaped bodily into the trunk of a tree to his left, avoiding a wild left hook that the Hyūga swung at him.

Any pain spiking in his shoulder would immediately evaporate upon seeing a discharge of air pressure curl along her punch's path. It rattled and cracked the wooden earthen path that Konohamaru had just walked through moments ago, sending an audible howl of the strike's direction. Seeing her turn from the punch towards her, leaning her whole upraised body in his direction, caused him to gasp with very real horror.

"_She's going to kill me!_" That thought crossed his mind, as he dove forward, avoiding a left legged swinging kick, severing the tree from the trunk immediately. Rolling forward, he flipped himself back to face the crazed Kunoichi as the tree struck the middle of the encampment. Raising his arms readily, if not shakily, to face her he began to hear the utterances of surprises from his fellow conscious teammates.

"What has gotten into her?!" Lee inquired, rising into a fighting crouch, instincts telling his body what to do long before his mind could understand.

"Konohamaru?!" Moegi shouted aloud, quickly rushing to his side, her eyes wide and alert to what she was feeling. Skidding to a halt, she saw the gleaming light emanating from her fellow comrade's eyes, causing her to let out a startled exhale. "H-Hinata...?!"

Unfortunately for her, the most recent call out to the copiously Chakra burning Hyūga caused her eyes to fixate upon her. Tilting her head to her left, her body staggered forward, fists already clenching to audibly snapping degrees. As her legs bent her actions wouldn't be known but the recently attacked Genin.

Konohamaru acted upon reflex and his desire to protect.

Forming a brief hand sign upon leaping towards Moegi's rear flank, a burst of smoke would explode, manifesting a Shadow Clone to his charging left. The duplicate readily leaped into the path of the blur that was Hinata, crossing forearms over each other to create a shield in front of the confused Moegi. Upon receiving the palm-heel thrust, a blistering force of concussive power overtook the copy, sending it sprawling back just as the original yanked Moegi by the collar to dive to her right. When the Clone wisked out of existence, the impact if left upon the face of a tree visibly indented where it was sent, causing the sprout of life to lean forward with an audible groan.

Stopping after the fifth tumbling roll, Konohamaru held Moegi's person with a grimace. With his left eye closed, partially clouded by clods of dirt, his right eye stared at Hinata's dark aura'd form with disdain rather than apprehension. Clenching his hands around the trembling Moegi's left arm and knee, he held her protectively against his chest as he eyed back at the demonic visage of the once compassionate Hinata.

Before she could turn her head back towards them, her head would violently whip to the right, snapping her body into a bodily spiral in the wake of a well placed leap kick by Lee. Her body bounced off the ground from the force once, then reach a palm out to brace against the earth, tearing a gouge of dirt in her momentum propelled wake. Staggering back to her feet, she'd receive another impact to her torso and then her face, respectively by a charging knee kick and then a painfully sounding upper cut.

"W-What's wrong with her?" Moegi asked as she saw Lee continue the assault on Hinata's person.

"I'm not sure," Konohamaru said warily, standing shakily up, wincing at the pain throbbing through his already tired body. Seeing Hinata's frame hit repeatedly without ceasing by a determined Lee, he could only glare daggers at the disgusting flame of Chakra that clung to her person passively. "it's like she's possessed..."

"What a foul Chakra," Moegi said, feeling the texture and quality even from this distance, causing her body to shudder with repulsion. "it's like it's burning her up from the inside out. All I feel is raw emotion, bad ones from it. It's like it's perspiring evil straight out of her body!"

With that last verbal description, one could see Hinata's frame tumble across the meadow from a recent kick. Spinning back up to a standing posture once more without skipping a beat, the staggering Hinata now fully fixed her blood tinted eyes upon Lee. Seeing that it didn't unnerve the sprinting Shinobi, she crouched and readied her own attack.

"I do not know what has come over you. But I swear on my life that I will snap you out of it!" Lee declared, leaping high up into the air, extracting the weights from his leg bands. After tossing them to either direction, he let himself spiral downwards at Hinata's frame. With feet outstretched, he'd gracefully land a handful of meters behind the Chakra burning Hyūga.

Kicking off the ground, Lee blurred his body around like a spinning top. His right leg stretched out after the third rotation, just as he'd reach Hinata's frame. When his right heel reached her personal space, the bowl-cut ninja declared aloud in a single shout, "**Leaf Hurricane!**"

Upon the impact, however, Lee would see that Hinata didn't budge an inch. A dense layer of violet hued Chakra, like tangible fabric, stretched across her face. It warped and bristled, but did little to give way to the powerful spinning back kick.

"_She wasn't affected by my attacks this whole time?!_" Lee thought with horrified realization.

Before his leg could pull back in time, the possessed Kunoichi grasped the retreating ankle with an iron grip. Whipping him back around, Hinata reared back her right fist prior to throwing it forward, hitting his flak jacketed chest without any form of defense. Painful popping sounds were heard as her fist twisted along with the currents of malevolent Chakra, causing Lee's face to contort to one of pain, his mouth jettisoning blood and spit. When the punch was fully twisted, Lee found himself propelling like a bullet from a gun, flourishing with intense wind currents.

"LEE!" Moegi shouted aloud with alarm.

Both would see his body crash through the treelines, shattering and mangling wooden dermal surfaces before finally impacting a rising hillside. A brief sprouting cloud of dust was seen in the distance, flowering up like a mushroom, cementing the thunderous force his body hit the distant earthen landscape.

"Haaaaaaaah," Hinata breathed out, more insidious fog of black gaseous Chakra escaped her mouth. An expressionless face met the trembling form of both remaining Konoha ninja. Staggering forward in a mock limp, the slow pace caused both of their blood to grow cold.

It was only Konohamaru who decided to do more than simply stand quietly.

Sliding his arms along the cradled form of Moegi's shaken form, the young Sarutobi formed a hand sign just short of his proclamation, "**Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**"

In a series of discharges of smoke, Konohamaru formed a dozen Shadow Clones to stand protectively in front of the two of them. Each of them balled fists and cracked knuckles, standing in a line to that formed a V in front of the pair.

"Make sure to keep her busy! I'm going to join you after I get Moegi somewhere safely!" Konohamaru ordered to his collaboration of Chakra bodies.

"Don't worry! We got this!" The closest Konohamaru said with a thumb's up and a wry smile.

"Get going!" The frontmost Konohamaru shouted back, kicking off the ground with the first four Clones.

Without even waiting to see what happened next, Konohamaru took off into a stumbling run, shortly turning into a high speed sprint. Flickers of his body moving at higher speeds thanks to the Shunshin Jutsu were seen, covering handful of meters of distance in a matter of seconds. It wasn't until the sound of distant clones shouts dying out, their bodies hurtled in all manner of directions through the wooded thicket, crashing mightily into many standing leaf bearing pyres.

A distant thunderous explosion caused by a failed Rasengan was heard, sending a gust of wind and debris to hit Konohamaru's back. Losing his balance, Konohamaru turned his falling body around to brace his not as sore shoulder onto the ground. He cried aloud as he felt his body skid along the earth, his back striking the front of another tree with Moegi still under his arms.

"Let me go, Konohamaru!" Moegi pleaded, trying to push herself off the ground prone Shinobi so she could stand. "I can help-!"

"No!" Konohamaru said, his eyes alight with fear. With his arms tightly wrapped around her back and waist, he couldn't hide the alarm and pleading behind every enunciated word, "I won't let go! I'm not losing you too!"

The sheer weight of those words were enough to cause Moegi stare disbelieving at Konohamaru. It was only the sound of the rapid taps of Hinata's feet, her body still endowed with the burning violet hued Chakra. Hair whipped behind her along with her arms, her eyes glowing a trail of crimson light as she glared them down like a fastly approaching predator.

Tossing Moegi with as much strength as he could muster to his right, Konohamaru flipped up to his feet. With an angry contortion of emotion flashing across his face, he withdrew a kunai from its holster and held it up, snarling aloud, "C'mon!"

Mere seconds weighed in heartbeats as Hinata's distant frame approached ever-so closer. The air bristled and rippled where her low crouched, speeding form went. Like a rampaging beast, it didn't bother to divert its course even when Moegi was thrown aside. Whatever power had her under its control, it went for the one beckoning her to combat him.

"KONOHAMARU!" Moegi let out a scream, her hand outstretched as she crawled as rapidly as she could in his direction.

The faint sound of a metallic instrument striking a wooden trunk, however, would catch her attention just short of a dark cloaked blur appearing next to Konohamaru. The sound of hands making several hand signs sounded off as Hinata drew closer. Finished with a final clap of palms connecting with each other, a bright flash of purple-white light shined where the metal projectile had struck.

"**Yaroppō**** Nenshō Toku!**" Kabuto declared commandingly.

A sudden thrum would be heard all around them, as the force of the oncoming Chakra infused enemy bounced off the middle of space with a painful crack. As she rolled back in a tumble, a bright wall of transparent light materialized in the middle of what seemed like the space a mere six meters in front of them. Tongues of white flames roiled around the tumbling back Hyūga, circled all the way around the wide expanse of demolished forestry. Each angled point had a single kunai embedding a talisman, glowing a bright purple and white light at each point.

"Sorry I hadn't stepped in earlier," The grey haired Shinobi apologized firmly, seriousness etched into his glass adorned features as he stared in front of the barrier wall separating them from their crazed menace. "I had to analyze the situation from afar where she couldn't see me. I also had to ensure this barrier would be formed where only she resided in and no one else was trapped with her."

Konohamaru wanted to ridicule the timely arrival as an excuse for his near lethal tardiness. But he was too shaken, let alone low on Chakra. He fell to his knees and breathed out raggedly, only staring at the barrier in front of him, silently thanking it from stopping a crazy Kunoichi from flattening him into the treeline like she had Lee.

"Thanks for saving us, Kabuto," Moegi breathed out with a smile, panting under her breath as her heart slowly stopped beating like a drum in her chest.

A sudden thunderous collision would be heard, signified by a flash of virulent Chakra flames be seen. Bloodthirsty snarls could be heard behind the cracks and roar of the barrier's protest, as burning hands dug into the malleable defensive fabric that made up the shield. Even as sleeves burned away up to the shoulder, the Hyūga continued her persistent piercing of the wall of light, till her burned fingertips pierced through its surface to the other side.

"She's prying through the barrier?!" Kabuto exclaimed with utter shock, his eyes not hiding the surprise at her accomplishing such a feat.

As Hinata wrestled to pull apart the shield of Chakra with wafting waves of her own foul energy, Moegi shivered with tangible trepidation. Taking a step back, one after another, she soon had her back pressed against the tree that Konohamaru struck bodily. Tears began to well up in her eyes at seeing her once tender hearted friend claw her red eyed face through to get to them.

"Dammit!" Konohamaru swore aloud, balling his cut-up calloused palms together with kunai knife in hand. "where is that carrot-topped bastard when you need him?!"

* * *

**Chapter Nine - **_**Lurker from the Void**_

* * *

**A Few Minutes Ago...**

Ichigo was a good distance away from the camp. Having felt the cold ridicule by the person he wanted to comfort or at least reassure in someway, he knew it was better this way. Having settled down into a Jinzen stance of meditation, he had his bandage wrapped Zanpakutō resting in front of his cross legged lap. Eyes were closed and his mind at ease. He was in entirely different world than what his body resided in.

Floating in the middle of space, he found himself locking blades with Zangetsu, holding a reverse colored blade than what his Shinigami partner held. While the Substitute used both hands to pressure against the older warrior, the other only needed one hand, pocketing the other into the seamless folds of his dark coat. Ichigo's eyes knitted into an intense stare while the impassive pair of glowing eyes covered by white rimmed dark shades locked onto his without any anxiety.

With a mutual release from both fighters, they backed up in the middle of the air, both having their backs to mutually sideways aligned skyscrapers.

"**Your mind is wandering**," Zangetsu observed, holding his sword aloft to his side.

"I got a lot on it these days," Ichigo panted, holding it in front of his person readily.

"**Is this about the enemies you made, or your newfound allies you wish to protect?**" The Zanpakutō inquired pointedly.

"You sure don't beat around the bush," Ichigo muttered with a wry smile. Kicking off the air, he returned to the offensive, swinging his blade in a mock form of Kendo. Zangetsu deflected the powerful strokes of the blade through mere adjustments of his footing and positioning of his own weapon. Sparks and loud clangs of metal echoed the space between them. It wasn't until the split moment that Zangetsu swung his own sword over his eyes to parry an overhead strike that Ichigo opportunistically pulled back, and changed his body's direction.

Now to his opponent's left side, he let his sword drop and drag along with his lunge, swinging it around in a right angled stroke to catch the Zanpakutō off guard. It wasn't till he felt resistance to his horizontal slash and the sound of metal rebounding that he looked back over to see Zangetsu's side glancing stare. Without even changing his stance, the Zanpakutō inverted his grip over his weapon, perpendicularly meeting the side swiping blade without effort.

"**Your upper body's movements are too telling. You need to work on masking your intentions,**" Zangetsu corrected.

Sighing, Ichigo pull his sword away from his ever faithful teacher's, allowing it to rest over his shoulder as was his habit, "I doubt I can do that. If someone like you can read me, it's probably a walk in the park for that Sasuke guy to do the same."

"**His eyes are advantageous, but not entirely something out of your own control,**" Zangetsu explained, returning his sword hand into a normal grip as he did, "**he reads the emissions of your body's Spiritual Pressure. Doing so is like watching someone's body language and anticipating it based on the most accurate guess on their intended route. He had rapidly evaded you most of the battle and used feints to keep you from following up your advantage. By the time he landed the first blow on you in person, he had already guessed all the types of movements your body would make, thus allowing him to fight you more on an even footing.**"

"_I wish I was half as analytical or smart as this guy,_" Ichigo thought with a grimace.

"**Suppress your Spiritual Pressure when moving, only release it when attacking. This will hamper his ability to decipher precisely when and where you will strike,**" Zangetsu explained simply.

"Got it," Ichigo nodded, furrowing his eyes as he looked downwards.

"**What else?**" Zangetsu asked.

"I can't wrap my head around how he could hurt me," Ichigo growled, looking up at his spare hand while his sword wielding one gripped tightly around the hilt. "I know I had more power than he had. Even if he was only slightly under me, I should have had the advantage and none of his Jutsu stuff should harm me, right?"

"**It is the same as reading your body language,**" Zangetsu said sagely, unpocketing his free hand to point to his own cloaked person for emphasis. "**the projection of Spiritual Pressure instinctively resides around the Soul Sleep and Chain of Fate, the pressure points of a Shinigami and most spiritual beings. From there, a number of smaller and less critical pressure points are spread across your body, allowing you to manipulate and weave Spirit energy to your whim. Anytime you used an ability or countered one of his own, his eyes saw through the fluctuations of Spirit Energy you made. This allowed his own weaker Spirit Energy, focused to a precise degree, to penetrate the fabric of Spiritual Pressure that normally would have shielded you. That is how his Jutsu, after the first critical blow was made, able to cut through your body so easily.**"

"Guess that explains it," Ichigo said glumly, scratching the back of his head as he processed what was said. "so this guy's techniques can hurt me even if he doesn't have the same level of Spiritual Power? Man he's going to be a pain to fight again..."

"**If you need me to lend more aid to you-**"

"Nah, I can do it," Ichigo waved a hand insistently, wryly smiling to confirm his confidence, "I may not have his weird eyes, but I tend to notice things when I see them the first time around. He won't be able to fool me with any of his tricks next time around."

"**If you insist,**" Zangetsu nodded with understanding. Pressing both of his hands on top of a invertedly directed cleaver, he then pressured him on another topic as he kept his gaze, "**but, are you so confident as to handle your comrades? They seem to be traumatized by what happened recently.**"

"No shit, sherlock," Ichigo retorted with a scowl, "how did you feel when knowing you were going to disappear after I used Mugetsu?"

Saying that made Zangetsu quiet straight away. Closing his eyes he let out a soft exhale, whispering out an acknowledging, "**I see. The pain of their loss must be great to emphasize the loss I experienced.**"

"I may not have known the guy long but it's not like I can't forget about him," Ichigo said honestly, looking down at his hand, open palmed and facing upwards, "he was a noble guy, down to even being like Byakuya in a harsh way. But he always meant the best and thought of others before himself. He was the smartest one of the group and knew when something was too tough or dangerous. He was their leader and their foundation. Now that he's gone...I'm not sure about this Kabuto guy, but I know for a fact I can't fill the void he left behind."

Zangetsu looked at Ichigo, long and hard, as the Shinigami was lost in his thoughts. Knowing precisely whom he was speaking of, and not the whole group, the lack of an immediate answer was understandable.

When he finally spoke, he asked Ichigo a brief question, "**Do you know why Zanpakutōs are born, Ichigo?**"

"What?" Ichigo asked, blinking at the sudden change of topic.

"**Every Shinigami, whether they use an Asauchi to nourish their powers, has a Zanpakutō born inside of them since the day they're born. It is manifested before they can form thought and we Zanpakutōs yearn to contact our Shinigami masters,**" Zangetsu continued.

"If you're going to tell me love is the reason..." Ichigo drawled on with a dry expression.

"**Zanpakutō are born to fulfill the half of the Shinigami that is lacking. Where someone is powerless, the Zanpakutō grants them strength. Where someone is dim witted, the Zanpakutō is clever. Where someone is lacking in any way, the Zanpakutō helps them achieve greatness. The only thing that a Zanpakutō ever longs for in return, is interaction and mutual understanding,**" Zangetsu summarized, grasping his sword once again in his right hand while pocketing his free one. Pointing to the world of trees below without turning his head, he earned Ichigo's directional gaze, allowing him to explain further, "**while you may have saw this as an accident to arrive in this world, you arrived here out of pure ignorance to the state of this place's injustices and evils. Yet, when you heard from a stranger's mouth, you completely dedicated yourself to protect them. Why? It is quite simple...**

Pointing his blade back towards Ichigo, earning a wide eyed series of blinks, Zangetsu continued, "**You are born to protect. To see a land unprotected by malevolence and overrun by evil makes you, out of your own nature, yearn to set it right. You are not perfect, nor are you the strongest. Yet your desire to see it fought for and defended is your most valued attribute. Even if you are denied the ability to lend compassion, it will not matter what words you speak. Your actions will dictate your character far greater than anything you say. Remember that, Ichigo.**"

It was words that Ichigo needed to hear. All this time he felt like he was simply there due to no purpose of anyone's design and he was doing what came natural. Now he knew what the series of events propelling forward meant for him. The world he entered was out of balance, and sought to find that balance again. Unknowingly this world's search for the other half to empower or correct its flaws brought him in by force. It was one way of looking how his role fit into the grand scheme of things, if he wanted to get philosophical about it.

Regardless, the latter part of his Zanpakutō helped him resolve how better to handle the rest of his comrades' emotional turbulence. He knew they wouldn't accept him right away. Despite what they would think of him, he'd keep doing what he did best. After all, he wasn't there to be glamored or loved. He was there to protect the living and avenge the fallen. Anything after that would be superficial in the long run, especially if his stay was a temporary.

"Thanks, Zangetsu," Ichigo said gratefully, smiling at the shade donned spirit as he allowed his sword hand to relax its grip, "I needed that."

"**Whenever you need assistance, I will be h-**" Zangetsu trailed off, his eyes suddenly widening and his head arching over his shoulder to the sky above.

"What is-?"

"**Our time is up,**" Zangetsu said hurriedly, returning his gaze to Ichigo as his cloak amorphously expanded behind him, "**it is time for you to return. Your comrades need you.**"

Ichigo could only begin to comprehend what Zangetsu meant other than trouble was brewing. As the folds of black linen flowed over his perception of the world his eyes slowly blinked open. Looking to and fro, he realized he was back where he had chosen to meditate, at least a good fifty meters away from the campsite. Reaching down towards the bandaged hilt of his Zanpakutō, he stood up to attach it to his backside when he felt the Spiritual Pressures in the distance.

When a wave of distortive static struck his body's senses in full, he knew exactly which one it was.

"_Why couldn't this happen when I'm not busy doing something else?!_" Ichigo thought with agitation, his body already kicking off the ground in the direction he felt it residing.

He just hoped he'd get there in time.

* * *

A final damning shriek was sounded as the barrier finally collapsed. Ripped apart barehanded by the malicious power that heatedly endowed Hinata's possessed form, the rivulets of purple white light crackled and shocked the various trees the talismans were impaled upon. With only the moon shining down upon the eerily dark aura that entombed over the Hyūga's body, a dark silhouette was formed over her face, with only red eyes to keep it in a menacing gleam.

"End...it...all," She breathed out in a ragged exhale, spewing further noxious fumes from her maw.

"Stand back you two," Kabuto said readily, hands raised and body crouched. While a bead of sweat crawled down his face, he knew he was the only one around qualified to handle this enemy. "don't join in. Hitting her physically will only make her target you."

"And what are you going to do? Play patty cake with her?" Konohamaru quipped dryly, albeit making no move of initiative to countermand the grey haired Shinobi's order.

"I'll cut her nerve endings at the base of her limbs. That should immobilize her till we find out a better course of contain-" Kabuto trailed off as Hinata's frame dove forward, her body leaving a trail of dark violet light in her wake. Just as he lunged to strike her, a dark silken blur cut her off, seemingly picking the young woman off her feet as he rushed past. Just seeing it caused Kabuto's eyes to do a doubletake, as he narrowly missed the figure's movement.

"Was that-?" Konohamaru began to say.

"-Ichigo!" Moegi said with stark realization.

"_What speed!_" Kabuto thought with narrowed eyes, pressing his spectacles up the bridge of his nose, causing a glint of light to flash across the lenses, "_He's even faster than I am. What a terrifying force you are, Ichigo Kurosaki..._"

* * *

"Alright, here's good," Ichigo thought to himself, skidding to a halt and throwing his catch into the clearing. Watching Hinata tumble unceremoniously to a crouching stance, the Substitute stared at her warily. The very air around her was hot, and the atmosphere felt irritating to breathe. Even someone of his level could tell a nefariously powerful force had its hold over the beautiful Hyūga.

"Show yourself," Ichigo said authoritatively, pointing at Hinata's person without ever looking at her in the eyes, "or I'll do what it takes to beat you out of her!"

Without waiting for a response, the possessed Hinata leaped in a blurring charge at him. Burning eyes trailed a line of bloody hued light, accenting the whip of violet hued tresses flourishing behind her crouched back. A fist reared back, the Hyūga launched her punch, hurtling an enormity of tainted Chakra along with the path of her limb's attack.

A seismic exhale of force clapped within the middle of the wooden clearing, causing substantial girthed trees to bend and shake from the rebounding power that collided with the Shinigami. Ebbs of violet-black energy crackled to and fro, projecting its currents around the air and earth alike. Though despite the effects of the attack, the Substitute didn't budge.

Much to the surprise of whatever force held over Hinata, expressed through widening of expressionless crimson eyes, her fist was perfectly caught. A strong palm gripped and absorbed the impact of the Chakra filled strike. With the exception of orange tresses and his uniform being ruffled by the buffet of intense air pressure, his person didn't suffer in the slightest by the attack.

Then, he pulled the fist forward, and slammed a fist into the puppeted girl. A rumble of air warped inwards, as if contorting the oxygen within their given space. Within moments the release of a spherical explosion of kinetic energy was discharged, sending spirals of azure Spirit Energy shocking the trees and ripping them off the roots. Snapped bark rained around them as the line of trees flew back and collided with their green leaven brethren, all the while Hinata's body was lifted up into the air off her ground before falling back to her knees with a clumsy thud.

"_I'll say it again,_" Ichigo glared down with a glaze of yellow overlapping his normally hazel pupils, "_show yourself or I'll beat you out of her, you scum!_"

As vile dark liquid spilled out of Hinata's mouth, a guttural chuckle began to emit from her throat. Levitating off the ground under the propulsion of demonic Chakra, the violet hairs frayed out into a net of violet follicles behind her head. Burning eyes shined fervently as the burning energy began to bubble and form a gelatinous mass that raised the Hyūga higher into the air. Not until she was ten meters above the Substitute's head did the mass of Chakra took form of a dark slick hide, spiraling downwards to coil around like a snake to the ground. With her body being overcome by the bubbling mass, a bulbous end protruded where her delicate frame was, forming a painted white mask at its front with three red feathered frills at the top of its crown. From where a soft impassive smile puckered with red false lips drawn by ink appeared would soon split apart, revealing a disgustingly wide mouth with straight white teeth.

"_W-What the Hell?!_" Ichigo thought with widened eyes, horrified of what what he saw before him. It wasn't the appearance entirely, as he had fought creatures of truly repulsive visages. It was the face and the Spiritual Pressure it projected from its form. He couldn't confirm before due to its warped nature transmitting Hinata's own Spiritual Pressure. But now that it was unleashed, there was no doubt in his mind. "_what's a Hollow doing here?!_"

"**_I have shown myself, Reaper,_**" The creature rumbled out, his voice captivating the air while making the ground become unsettled by it. It's smile widened, visibly pleased at the look of abject terror and confusion running across his face. Despite this, it queried with a tilt of his serpentine head, "**_that is what you prefer to be called, isn't it?_**"

Shaking his head, Ichigo reached up to grasp the hilt of his sword. With a steely gaze, he answered with a brandishing release of the bandaged sheathe and pointed stance of his blade's edge towards his newfound enemy, "Ichigo Kurosaki, the Shinigami. I'm not from your world but it seems that you aren't quite at home here either."

"_**Hah-Hah-Hah,**_" The entity quaked out a laugh, its mouth splitting more flesh from the tubular head, vibrating its whole being. "_**so you noticed? Only an outsider like you could understand my origins. No matter. I once was leeched onto a soul traveling through that abysmal world before falling into this realm. That was thousands of years ago, of course, and I have been known by many names since then.**_"

"Would the snake dildo be among them or just plain ugly?" Ichigo quipped with a wry grin of sarcasm.

"**_I do not understand the prior idiom, but the latter is an insult of children. I can tell without trying that you are a child playing god with powers refined by a spirit more powerful than you. A shame that he is shackled to your being,_**" The creature rumbled on with a toothy grin, noting the scowl stretching across his opponent's face. Tilting his head side to side, he raised the tone of his voice to imitate apology, "**_but I am rambling, apologies, Shinigami. Most humans have come to call me the Reibi, a title of which they found fitting due to my influence and power I've possessed over the ages. But as a fellow spirit, I can reveal you my true name. The name that is...Nakazora!_**"

Reibi, _the Zero Tails_. That title alone unsettled the eldest of the Kurosaki family. He had been told of Tailed Beasts, creatures of pure Chakra that were undisputably the strongest beings within all of creation. Gathered together made Pain and the Akatsuki undisputed rulers over the Five Great Nations and withheld enough power to quell any conflict. The fact that this creature had a title associated with their kin unsettled him. It wasn't even the revelation of a name that meant _emptiness_, the verbal epitome of what Hollows existed as. It was the fact it felt unusually strong and incredibly off for a Hollow. The way it referenced his title along with his relationship with Zangetsu in such a slanderous manner made his blood boil more than it already has.

It was then that the earth distended beneath Ichigo's feet and an uproar of vibrant azure light spread outwards in as tangible manner as Hinata's had been. White electrical currents crackled around his body, displaying the sheer visual splendor of his incredible power. The air ripened with his Spiritual Pressure, projecting to a degree that shook and quaked the ground for a great distance. Any fowl that hadn't already fled from the cacophony of noises made by their conflict flew upwards in a spiraling fashion, fleeing into the heavens and venturing far away from the epicenter of the inevitable battle to come.

A swing of his blade to the side and a jettisoned shockwave cascaded into the fallen trees, further tumbling into more towers of leaf bearing wood. Eyes glowing of unadulterated rage and conviction stared at the Hollow, teeth bared with unabated fury. A single enunciated shout was let out of the Shinigami's mouth before he moved another muscle, "LET! HER! GO!"

"**_Foolish Shinigami,_**" Nakazora responded with a slimy grin, "**_I have no intention of releasing the gir-_**"

A voluminous wave of pressurized Spiritual Energy was released within a single wave of Ichigo's blade. Up to fifteen meters in length with a width of two meters itself, the azure crescent wave flew forward in an instant, covering the bare minimum ground between the two entities handily. The searing heat alone bubbled the flesh of the monster, rendering it completely off of the coiled pile at its center, as the wave of energy continued to cleave through the treeline, exploding flashily in the distance.

Any signs of a victorious grin was wiped away from Ichigo's visage. The severed entwined flesh quickly stretched out tendrils of bubbling goo out to attach the separated ends back to each other. The Reibi kept its snide expression as a look of hardened frustration crossed the Substitute's. "_**As I was saying, the girl is mine to keep. You are in no position to making threats to the likes of me!**_"

"We'll see about that!" Ichigo shouted back in a challenging tone. Leaping forward in a burst of fullbrought accelerated Shunpo, Ichigo swung his blade around in an arc around the serpents neck. A spray of viscous liquid showered the air, his body already twisting around to kick back to repeat the gesture. Flurries of black silken movement were seen as the Shinigami lacerated and cut through the beast's coiled body, inflicting over a dozen deep gashes within the bestial nightmare's body.

Upon halting to take a gander at his handiwork, Ichigo saw that the beast began to unwind itself. Spiraling towards him, the once wounded entity soon regenerated damaged tissue with new unmarred flesh in its place. Unnervingly the beast seemed to reach his posture in a rush of scaleless muscle, ramming its head straight into the unprepared Shinigami's chest.

"Gak!" Ichigo gasped out as the wind left his lungs, finding himself flung off his feet and sprawling through the air. A free hand reached out, clawing the air, using his own spirit energy as a grapple and fullbrought air currents to slow his body entirely. Flipping back to hover over the toppled woodry, the Substitute saw an immediate threat in the form of a dozen detached limbs of hardened flesh launched towards him.

Releasing his hold of his sword by the hilt, the tip of his finger latched into the last link of few dangling from the cleaver's pommel. Through a spray of emerald light, the chain extended and stretched to a considerable degree. Through further use of Fullbring, Ichigo spun the blade around in a perfect clockwise rotation, harnessing the very air around him to form a vacuum around his sword. By the time the projectiles collided into the spinning wall of metal and air pressure, they'd shatter upon impact, reduced to rubbery bits of the former lethal worth they presided.

Nakazora rose up at seeing this, now at a towering twenty meters in height. Dozens of fingerless limbs upon the side of the meaty tower discharged and rapidly extended towards Ichigo's position. Said limbs rapidly spread out, multiplying into hundreds of javelins, aiming to perforate his body along with the majority of the toppled landscape he stood upon.

Seeing the wall of dark spearing limbs head towards him only strengthened Ichigo's resolve to fight harder.

Using the suction of the vacuum his spinning blade crafted, the Shinigami began to pour his Spiritual Pressure into Zangetsu. The blade then reacted instinctively and produced a burning wave of windmill shaped light. A outline hue of blue over a body of dozens of blades of silver light, it soon produced a gale force twister around its wake in the face of the incoming attacks. All of the limbs impacted heavily with reverberating force, but soon bled, shattered, and burnt upon crashing into the wall of rotating Spiritual Energy.

It was when the blades of light began to churn forward, manifesting a spherical shape, that the whole wooden landscape would be cast in a azure-pale glare. The turbulent winds caused by the fullbrought air currents tunneling around the magnanimous body of spirit energy, making its structural integrity and condensed pressure a possibility. If one looked from the distance, it would appear as if a small glowing moon had been formed.

Halting the rotation with a violent yank downwards, Ichigo cried out above the deafening roar of the mass of Spiritual Power above his head, "**MANGETSU!**"

In verbal and physical command, the wide ball of spiritual energy was released. The largest scaled attack Ichigo had launched other than a Cero thundered forth, sending blistering winds down and about its blinding wake. The searing ball crashed into the towering Reibi's body, quelling any predicted wails of agony and pain it felt. The flesh and mask seemed to evaporate along the passing of the sphere's trajectory, soon flying upwards towards the heavens themselves long past the beast.

The shine of his technique began to retreat into the sky, taking with it the overpowering white-blue overcast painting over the night filled battlefield. Said Substitute heaved heavy breaths, feeling winded at using such a astronomical sized force to fell his enemy. While he could feel traces of him lingering where he had stood, he felt they were significantly lower than before. More importantly, he felt Hinata's subdued signature faintly beating from beyond as well.

"Hold on, Hinata," Ichigo said with a ragged sigh, allowing his feet to touch the broken earth below before setting off to approach, "I'm coming for you!"

What Ichigo hadn't counted on was that the ground would move around his feet. Dark purple limbs spiraled upwards, each serrated edge penetrating Ichigo's four limbs. Copious tears of his own blood snaked down the spike shaped limbs, perfectly immobilizing his body. It was only during this moment that the thunderclap of his Mangetsu detonating with climactic release high in the atmosphere that further reminded him of the failure of winning this battle, cemented by renewed glares of bluish white light to cast over the land.

"D-Dammit!" Ichigo uttered aloud, feeling two more spikes from behind slice through his shoulders, further restricting his movements. He had to clench his teeth just to hold back the exclamation of pain his being wanted to vent. Instead, his brow was caked in beads of sweat, his eyes twitching with grimace as he turned his face back at his nemesis.

"**_Did you think you could best me so easily, Reaper boy,_**" Nakazora said with incredulity, his body oozing from the earth like a gelatinous mass of goo. A single white mask split partially by its painted lips, showing the slimy row of decadently grinning teeth. As it yanked almost all of its body from the earth, it produced its severed tail, still bubbling from the contact it had with his Mangetsu, "**_reproducing an identical head is child's play. Or did you honestly believe that I'd leave myself open for counterattack?_**"

"I'm...not...through...yet!" Ichigo retorted with a vengeful glare, feeling his body project a mantle of light that emphasized his wrath. The blade that shook in his bleeding hand tried to rise up, to point at the creature intending of robbing another precious person of the small group he called comrades. Grimacing, he yelled out unintelligibly, forcing what strength he could to move despite his position.

"**_You feel helpless, don't you?_**" Nakazora pried, leaning his masked face towards Ichigo's glaring visage. "**_this isn't the first time that you've been at the mercy of your betters. How many times have you sunk to your knees, acknowledging your own weakness and needing the help of others? But I see a moment when no one rushed to your aid. A moment in your past that has shaped your mind and the way you are now. It is the moment you pray to never revisit again. Too bad for you there is no _God_ to hear that prayer!_**"

* * *

In a moment, the world seemed to melt around the strawberry tressed man. Instead of a world of pain his body experienced, bound by a demon that cackled at his struggles, a scenery began to take shape. The weight of a familiar person leaned over him, soaked to the brim of rainfall, emphasizing the dark environment that he had been dropped into.

"_Where is this? Is this an illusion?_"

It was only after a few blinks of the eye that he realized how frail he was. Trying to push up against the body that slumped over him, he could only guess that he was in the body of a child. His raincoat wearing arms tried to push up against a now recognizable womanly frame. It was only when he saw the brown hairs dangling over his face, partially hiding a paler face with red lips and lifeless hazel eyes. Blood covered the length of her back, showing signs of piercing and slashes, staining her light purple shirt.

"_No...No-No-No-No, this can't be real!_"

It was the thoughts of a rapidly deteriorating will of a man returned back to his weakest moment in his life. The body of a young boy now rolled out from underneath the limp body of his dead mother, staring down with pure horror. Shock filled his system and made him call out her name. His hands clenched at her body, shaking it insistently in an effort to awaken her.

"Mom! Mom wake up! Mom, please! Please don't die!" The child cried out, tears now overflowing from his light brown orbs, his hands clenching at the limp frame of his mother's back. He didn't care that blood was staining his own hands. He knew he was responsible. If he hadn't followed that Hollow lure, if he hadn't ran after the girl that his mother warned her about she'd be alive.

"_So many people are dead because of me! And for what?! I'm such a weak fool!_"

"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMY!" The boy cried aloud, his childish shriek penetrating the rainy darkness. His form hung over her, burying his face into the unbloodied hair that faintly smelled of dampened perfume. Shaking with uncontrollable sobs, Ichigo felt as if his resolve crumbled at reliving such a painful moment, his proverbial knees striking the mud his childlike body was now leaning against.

"_I-I can't...I can't do this...I can't!_"

In the periphery of the boy's vision, stood a dark figure, clad in black and white trappings. His dark shade covered eyes lingered upon the boy's moment that defined his character forever. It wasn't one of pity or disdain. It was one of understanding, as if putting together something he hadn't seen before. Words that he tried speaking seemed to be deafened by whatever hold the monster that forced him into this nightmare caused a look of anger cross his features.

Walking forward, the man towered over Ichigo's child form. The lengths of his cloak trailed out, billowing forth until it completely surrounded himself and his mother. With a simple kneel, his hand touched his damp orange head, as if to solidify his connection to him.

"**I will free you from this, Ichigo Kurosaki!**"

* * *

"**_Yessssssssssss,_**" The Reibi hissed out with depraved pleasure. The sight of what had been a vibrant aura of powerful resistance had all but dimmed into a hazy mist of black hued Chakra. It ebbed from the visible and covered pores of the Substitute's being, even as his eyes were glazed open, seeing something else deep within his own consciousness. All the sorrow, fear, and anger in Ichigo's history was being siphoned by the creature, feeding it and replenishing lost energies it had used up combatting him.

Even now as he looked upon with a wave of its head, the burned off stump of its tail began to regain its constitution and form, stretching out to a considerable length it had once demonstrated.

"_**Once I am done feasting on your being's despair, I will ensure to bring your body back for examination. I would not see the good doctor disappointed in me for playing with my food too much, after all,**_" Nakazora spoke casually to Ichigo, feeling no fear from the paralyzed and very much restrained Shinigami.

That was, until Ichigo's head suddenly lurched violently back.

Earning a pause in the passive sways of its neck, the serpentine Hollow peered closely at Ichigo's now still form. A visible current of dark red and black energy seeped out from his eyes, flowing endlessly over his face as if to shroud it completely. Seeing the energy peel away, the sight of it caused the creature holding the Shinigami to perform a double take.

A mask of white covered Ichigo's face, complete with an outer section of ghastly teeth on display. A black X painted across two distinct menacing eye slits, resting over the top layer of teeth towards the other edges of the mask's jaw line. Monstrous eyes of gold and black shined behind the mask, open wide and consciously, trailing down towards the Reibi's wary visage.

"_Is that a...Hollow mask?_" Nakazora queried with a tilt of his head.

The lack of fear to the mask adorned prisoner of his suddenly rewarded him with a sensation of pain. Flexing forward with monstrous strength, the masked Ichigo shredded the impaling bonds to his limbs, pulling them up from the ground and severing them from the main body entirely. Almost as soon as he freed himself the perforated spikes burned away, soon replaced by white pus that filled gaping holes in wounded flesh, stitching it back together as if the wounds never existed.

"_Instant Regeneration!_" The Hollow realized, rearing its head back, retreating the bulk of his body away in a winding fashion. In an effort to counterattack, he lashed out with his freshly regrown tail back at his Hollowfied opponent. Feeling the bulk of his rubbery hide get palmed into the free hand of the masked entity, he felt his withdraw halted immediately.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The Masked Shinigami howled aloud with a chilling wave of Spiritual Pressure exhaling from his bone clad maw. In sync with his shout, he used one hand to pull apart an entire half of the Reibi's body, sending a shower of dark lifeblood spewing from the end he had in his possession. Before the wriggling appendage could squirm from his grasp, the wrath-filled Reaper slammed the headless worm into the earth with a titanic crash, upheaving the ground around his feet for a dozen meters around. A single palm, alight with crimson-white light, thrummed into the body of the writhing half short of a high-pitched whine release of pure Spirit Energy.

The Cero launch sent Nakazora's bleeding frame cascading across the tree filled debris field. The mushroom cloud following the pillar of blood hued Chakra blossomed in the distance. Even now the creature hurriedly repaired and restored the lower half of the body it had ripped from it forcefully, feeling the buffeting winds the aftershock of the explosion created.

"_This sensation...I have never felt anything like this. Not from another being like myself, or a Yokai. Even the Tailed Beasts have never produced an aura this twisted. What is he?!_" The Reibi thought frantically with shock coursing through his being.

A distant boom dispelling the tower of smoke sounded the swift approach of the Hollowfied Shinigami. An ebbing trail of golden light emanated from the slits of his mask, producing a similar menacing alarm within the worm bodied beast. The air curved and rolled around him, bending to his whim, allowing him to reach his target in a matter of seconds.

Instinctively, the old Hollow thrust out a handful of jettisoned lances made of its own hardened flesh, aiming to penetrate his being before he could make purchase. Seeing the bone faced Reaper roll to the side, sword held aloft, made the dark serpent veer to the opposing direction. It did little good, as within a burst of accelerated Shunpo, a single swipe of the cleaver cut the upper half of its head from its body. Desperately, dozens of tissue tendrils latched onto each other, pulling itself back into place as the lower half of the body arched around to bludgeon the Masked Shinigami.

Spinning around in a blur of black silk, a stream of Spirit energy glowed brightly along the edge of the blade. Batting the energy endowed limb aside, a deep gash formed shortly before another segment of bodily woven muscle split apart with a shower of blood. Kicking off the air, the Masked Shinigami grappled the white mask of the Reibi and drove the cleaver blade up what dictated as its head. Repeatedly it stabbed it while remaining airborne, again and again, producing sounds of audible gargles and shrieks from the creature.

After thoroughly soaking the sword in blood and showering the ground with its essence, the Masked Shinigami thrust the snake into the ground with a mighty thrust of the arm. Raising the blade above its head, a current of light thundered forth into existence. Coiling and burning around the body of the giant butcher knife, an ominous overcast settled over the masked Reaper. Steam escaped slightly parted bone clad teeth, eyes glowing with venomous hunger at a writhing creature beneath its feet.

All it would take was one swing and a Hellish fissure was to be unleashed.

Yet it held the blade above its head, as if waiting for something, or someone at this very moment.

* * *

Ichigo felt himself floating in the dark. He clung to the body of his mother, knowing it was the only comfort he felt. The torrent of emotions of helplessness and despair that had enveloped him slowly burned away. A cold contentment settled his form, subduing his cries and caressing his body.

"_W-Where am I? Am I...dead?_" Ichigo queried, his thoughts more disembodied and less in touch with the bodily form he took upon.

"_**No. You are simply locked within your own mind,**_" A familiar voice penetrated the dark.

Looking over his shoulder, the childish face stopped sniffling to stare in wonderment of the wizened old man. Donned in a stark white coat, contrasting with the dark void they resided in, bordered by black outlines depicted as dark fire along the coat's end and upturned collar. A half-formed dark Hollow mask fragment rested over a mane of white hair, accenting the face full of grey beard and a vibrantly glowing pair of emerald shades. A black band in the shape of an X wrapped around his exposed neck and sternum, with similar accents around the dark etched cuffs around his sleeves.

"_Z-Zangetsu?!_" The boy shouted with confusion and realization.

"_**Ichigo,**_" Zangetsu continued with a stern tone, "**_the tragedies that befell you in your life aren't your mistakes. Life is full of pain and suffering. It is the strength that you attained instead of the weakness that you could have let your soul succumb to over time, that makes you who you are. You wouldn't be you without everything, including the most sorrowful of events._**"

Bowing his head, Ichigo began to comprehend what Zangetsu meant. All this time, even before, he had felt his mistakes weighed him down and defined him as a recurring burden to those he intended to help. He felt that he was inhibiting rather than assisting. Looking at it now, he knew that they were only teachings, even if they were harsh, to tell him what he should do from that moment forward.

"**_Return to the world as the man I know you are,_**" the Zanpakutō reached a hand out invitingly, his voice softer than before, "**_and leave behind the broken child that you've grown from._**"

Seeing the hand, Ichigo briefly gripped the shirt of his mother's form. Looking back at her, he briefly wrapped his arms around his mother's neck tightly, letting tears stream down his face once more. A soft gasp escaped as he slowly released her frame, standing up shakily to his feet. Seeing the hand still offered to him, he reached out with a much larger hand, gripping it firmly.

All at once, Zangetsu seemed to disappear in a wafting blaze of fire, transforming into the sword while the darkness enveloped his being...

* * *

When his vision focused, recognizing the environment around him, Ichigo knew of only two words that properly fit his return to the world of consciousness.

"**_GETSUGA TENSHŌ!_**" With a voluminous shout and a downward cleaving swing, a expansive crescent fissure of searing energy bowled into the ground prone Reibi. Splitting the earth asunder, forming a chasm of grand proportions, a pillar of flames erupted within the wake of the connection of his signature attack and the demonic entity's body. An elliptical wave of kinetic force rivulets the land, shattering toppled trees and billowed the surrounding forestry. Orange and red tongues clung to the environment as the light of his Getsuga faded away, leaving only himself and his mask adorned person to stand over the burning scar his sword left behind.

Reaching up to touch the mask laid over his face, Ichigo breathed out with surprise.

"**_I thought I lost the ability to don a mask?_**" Ichigo inquired wistfully.

"**_In the effort to weaken your connection with me and feed himself negative energy, he had unwittingly strengthened the bond between us in the moment of desperation,_**" Zangetsu answered, visibly manifesting in his white draped form beside his left flank. Locking eyes with Ichigo, he pointed to the mask fragment formed over his crown of white locks, "**_this in turn awakened the subdued part of your Hollow powers. You should be able to use your full power from this point forward with relative ease._**"

"**_I see it changed you again. Weird, but I dig the white look. It suits you,_**" Ichigo quipped with a hidden smirk, noting Zangetsu's physical change.

"**_Now is not the time to remark on mutual aesthetic appearances,_**" Zangetsu admonished with a scowl, turning his head to nod to his left, "**_your opponent is still alive._**"

Sure enough, Ichigo could see a dark mantled Hinata crawling up from the gouge he made into the earth. Upon reaching the top, the body wobbled before falling onto its knees, seeming to be heaving from the exertion. Notably most of the flak jacket had been burned away, only retaining white chainmail mesh standard for any Kunoichi and Shinobi alike along with a dark undershirt. Her pants were tattered but still intact as was her long locks of dark violet hair, though steamed with heat that the Getsuga inflicted.

"**_She doesn't look like she'd survive another attack, let alone Nakazora,_**" Ichigo noted audibly.

"**_It does not look as if he will relinquish his hold over her willingly. We may need to end her life,_**" Zangetsu suggested stoically.

"**_That isn't going to happen,_**" Ichigo said decisively.

"**_Then we allow it to leech to another body and continue the rampage. If we do not stop it here, there is no telling when it will,_**" Zangetsu emphasized with a turn of his head, glaring at Ichigo for saying what he had.

"**_Killing her doesn't mean he can't go to another host either,_**" Ichigo jabbed back with a turn of his head, glaring at Zangetsu behind his mask, waving a hand for emphasis, "**_Even if I kill all of my friends, will that truly stop this guy?! Is that what you're telling me?!_**"

"**_What other choice do you have?! You cannot hesitate for much longer less he replenishes his lost strength!_**" Zangetsu bellowed with a look of serious concern etched over his aged visage. Seeing Ichigo turn his head to the side, watching the exhausted body of Hinata rise to a hunch as the dark aura burned vividly around her, he could see his eyes linger upon her frame. "**_if you have another plan, take the course! We cannot afford to remain idle or he will continue this battle indefinitely!_**"

Ichigo's mind churned as much as his heart beat. What other options did he have? He had no way of knowing how to exorcise a Hollow or whatever this creature was after staying in this world for so long. Was there even such a way? He knew killing it outright wasn't the answer either. What guarantee did they have of slaying it for good, or for how long will it remain gone before returning for someone else.

"_I'm not going to let another die when I had the power to do so. I wasn't entrusted with these abilities to simply kill and destroy. I'm here to protect, and I promised Neji I'd protect her. There has to be another way!_" Ichigo thought with intensity, clenching his eyes shut as tightly as his hands balled up around his sword and palms.

"**Do you want to protect your family?**"

"**Of course, I'll do anything!**"

"**It will only be temporary, but...you must attain the powers of a Shinigami.**"

"**Wha-...how?!**"

"**By plunging my Zanpakutō into the center of your being. Only then will you become a Shinigami. I cannot deny the attempt could kill you in the process, but if it fails, what difference does it make?**"

It was those memories that caused Ichigo to stiffen with realization. A gambit, an utter foolish notion had just dawned upon his mind. A moment that changed his life of normalcy and powerlessness into that of a guardian. Surrendering the bonds of humanity and assuming the mantle of Shinigami, he vanquished the evil before him and survived the process of power transference.

Could it work on evicting the Hollow's hold over Hinata?

"**_Ichigo,_**" Zangetsu said firmly, his eyes meeting his, "**_I know what you're about to attempt by the way you look now. There is a great chance that the clash of your powers interfering over the Reibi's hold over her will destroy her body in the process. It may wound the creature and keep it from possessing more for awhile, but it may not save the girl._**"

"**_It's my only other option,_**" Ichigo said with equal firmness, confirming the resolve in his actions. Grasping the wrist that held the large cleaver, Ichigo's body ignited a brilliant scarlet-white light around his form. It bristled his hairs and rustled his Shikhakushō. It shook the ground with intensity and sent blistering winds all the way towards the spirit invaded girl. "**_and if it fails, I can at least keep going on, knowing that I tried my best to live up to my promise!_**"

"**_Very well,_**" Zangetsu said with understanding, his form already fading away into transparency, "**_now do what you must. Finish this fight!_**"

Without a verbal reply, Ichigo blurred forth in a streak of light. Seeing Hinata's frame twist to face Ichigo, the look within the burning pair of eyes revealed only shock and trepidation. Hands raised up futile to stop his charge, only inviting further the gargantuan weapon seeking purchase. A guttural roar escaped the Substitute's throat as he crossed the gap in a matter of seconds.

A final plunge of his sword, piercing the dark spiritual cloaked body through the chest and out the other side. Upon immediate contact, a mesmerizing flash of light emerged from Hinata's being, a scream tearing out of her throat both hers and the entity from within was heard. The pyre of light emitting consumed Shinigami and possessed Kunoichi alike, flowing outwards in a dramatic wave of wind and excess spiritual energy.

* * *

"_It's so cold..._"

Those were Hinata's thoughts as her body was consumed by the serpentine entity that offered her release of the pain. The pain and everything connecting to it, drained out of her being. Everything that hurt her was emptied, leaving her in a state of discomfort yet contentment. Nothing bothered her other than the vacuum left behind. Why did it bother her so much?

"_Was it wrong of me to want it to stop? Why am I feeling so...lost, without it?_"

More questions began to bubble to the surface, as her body felt as it was weightlessly floating in a pitch black space. Nothing could touch her yet she couldn't feel anything. It was terrifying yet eerily calming. Nothing bothered her yet everything about her situation agitated her. Was this a new form of Hell or was this an ultimate escape from the horrible life she had lived thus far? Was it worth feeling the pain if only to not feel this...this emptiness?

"_Hello? Is anyone there?_"

Feeling that she couldn't voice a sound in this oblivion she tried thinking her cries of help. She needed something, anything to contact her. The entity had long since abandoned her to this wretched space of non sensation. Someone who cared, but who was left? None of her teammates could understand. No one she loved or cherished was close or even beside her. Who could possibly-?

"_Ichigo? C-Can you hear me?!_"

She began to cry out within her mind, her body too numb to move to reach in any direction. Eyes looked wearily to and fro while her mind was starting to feel something. A nagging sensation on the periphery of her brain. As if a phantom itch was setting into her being. Didn't he try to comfort her before?

"_I'm sorry for pushing you away. Just please, get me out of this darkness! Save me from this Hell! ICHIGO!_"

It was then that it hit her all at once. A violent yet beautiful sensation of pain rushed through her chest. A blade of pure white tore through the darkness and cut straight through her form. It hurt and it reminded her of all the agony she had endured thus far. Through the pain, however, she was reminded of all the times that one blonde boy had been knocked down only to get back up. He had endured much more than she ever had, even in this world of misery and restrictive control. He wouldn't want her to give it all up to not feel it.

Reaching out with arms that could move, Hinata grasped the blade, pulling it further into her being. Everything felt like her body was on fire yet she pulled. Each nerve ending felt as if it was reattached for the first time, causing tears to spill from her proverbial eyes. Clenching her teeth she continued to pull and pull. It wasn't until a final yank that the whole world burned into a white light and erased it from view.

* * *

"...nata! Hinata!"

A muffled, yet very loud voice called out to her. It felt familiar yet it wasn't something she could place her finger on. With a groan she raised a arm, and felt a hand immediately grasp it. Her vision that had blurred suddenly cleared and a rush of warmth rushed up her neck to flourish about her face. Calloused hands, strong yet tender in their hold, held onto the one hand she reached out blindly.

Looking up, she saw a closely hunched over Ichigo, looking slightly haggard but nothing like what she felt. Exhaustion overpowered her sense of personal space, allowing her to smile happily if not wearily at the Shinigami. Tears welled up within her eyes, gratitude filled her chest at seeing the man she thought of when wrapped in such a terrible place; he came for her in the end.

"I'm free?" Hinata breathed out, trying to swallowed down her cursed bashfulness.

"Yeah, somehow," Ichigo said with a sigh of relief, closing his eyes and wiping a sweaty brow for emphasis.

Looking around, she found herself lying upon a grassy hillside, at a much higher altitude than the campsite had been. How far had they moved her? Where were they? She began to question this as she sat up, feeling silk fabric rustle over her skin. Did she just feel silk?

Blinking rapidly, Hinata looked down at her person. Gone was the flak jacketed Kunoichi uniform she had worn, weathered and kept useful for her day-to-day assignments. Now a bodily clinging robe of black fabric as soft as feathers rustled over her body. Her bosom's top was exposed, between the cleft lied a necklace resembling a spiral eye. The kosode that wrapped around her body flowed down to a lavender hued sash wrapped around her waist, ending just before a hakama skirt overlapping a pair of leg sleeves with sandals and white tabi socks fitted to her feet. Strangely enough, even a petal tsuba and purple threaded hilt sword was sheathed and wrapped over her left hip.

"W-What am I wearing?" Hinata sputtered aloud, looking up to Ichigo for answers.

"Ah yeah, about that..." Ichigo trailed off, his eyes looking to the upper right as his hand reached up uncomfortably to scratch his neck. At the same time he relinquished his hold over her hand entirely, confirming that something bad happened.

"Ichigo?" Hinata queried.

"Hinata," Moegi's voice called out to her, earning her a sharp turn, causing the orange pigtailed girl to flinch at her reaction. Seeing a familiar lavender tressed, lithe framed woman lying behind her on a sheet, caused her eyes to widen to astronomical proportions. Was that her body lying there?! "whatever you do, please don't freak out."

Any emphasis of Moegi's command would be unheard as a girlish scream ripped from her throat. Shortly after, thankfully, her eyes rolled to the back of their sockets and her body struck the bed of grass unconscious.

Her gallant rescuer sighed at looking her over, sputtering his lips at the sight of her, "Well, that cat's out of the bag..."

* * *

**A/N:** Surprise Surprise! I got this chapter out in record time (for me regarding to this story). I hope you're all happy to see a update so soon as I put a lot of work into making this happen -fist pumps-

Now a few things to go over.

The first probably regarding the Zangetsu and Ichigo conversation in his Inner World. After reviewing some more negative comments left by some sore fans with a bit of bias leaning towards Ichigo's camp, I took it upon myself to explain in as best description as possible as to how and why Sasuke could put up such a good fight against him. I hope that cleared a lot of things up and as to potential future encounters with other Doujutsu users he'll be facing ;)

Secondly is the Reibi. This is mostly open to interpretation, as (to Ichigo) he's a Hollow that's crossed over from the same severance of space in the Dangai he had accidentally fell into. Only this was by potential intention, as he was latched onto a host when this happened. Over the course of many ages he's evolved into what you see today. Now does that mean he's vanquished for good by means of Shinigamification (yes that's a term)? Who knows? This also does put into perspective the existence of Yokais in this world and the roles they play will vary depending on the impact to our hero and the villains in general. How much? You'll have to read to find out XD

And now finally the empowerment of Shinigami abilities to Hinata. To tell you the truth, when I first was writing this in its earliest conception stages, I hadn't thought to give Hinata as much attention as I do now. Sure I had planned out a fight between her and Sasuke, but that was as much as I could conjure at the time. After much thought and talking with one of my friends who acts as an editor for this story (thank you, Lastation) I decided to go the whole nine yards. Hopefully the suspense I layered onto this chapter gave some people the idea that she could have died and that her Shinigamification was a total fluke on the side of a miracle. How will this impact her relationship with her friends and Ichigo? Read more to find out -laughs evilly-

Now aside from that, I welcome you all to leave your thoughts and comments (nicely people; I accept hate mail on my PM wall so please do it there. Otherwise leave the story via Mario Cannon) below in the Review section.

Until then, I will see you all in the next update of, Reap the Pain!


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